


The Neverland Queen

by Bluebell484



Category: Once Upon A Time - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Slow Build, enemies to allies to friends to lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-01-07 11:24:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 40,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12231843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluebell484/pseuds/Bluebell484
Summary: Adi was a part of the household that saved Killian Jones when he lost his hand to Rumplestiltskin. It was by her and her sister's care that he was healed, and in doing so he is in their debt. In order to repay it, Killian has allowed Adi to join his crew and work on the ship for a few months. On one condition. Adi must masquerade as a boy when they go on their expedition to Neverland. But, as we all know, every boy on the island belongs to a certain demon.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> A special thank you to all my lovely beta readers who helped bring this story to life! Also, on my tumblr I will announce each new chapter with a special graphic edit of some sort. Pictures,photoshop, moodboard, the works ;) My tumblr is under the same username, Bluebell484. Thanks for reading!

There once was a girl, who had reached the age of sixteen, and just a few months short of her seventeenth birthday. She had come to understand the world and its cruelties more than most her age, and yet she remained so naive about much of the world, of the idea of utopias and adventures that could lie beyond her village. She was called Adelyn, Adi for short, and she was perhaps the most resilient girl the world had yet to see.  
She lived in a small squat little village by the ocean, with her elder sister Lana. She lost her parents when she was just a small thing of nine, Lana fifteen. Though they had little, Adi and Lana worked hard. They found any odd jobs they could, doing whatever they could to survive. Lana began working as an assistant to the village physician, who combined medical knowledge with magic, and she strived to learn as much as she could about these practices, so that if she or Adi ever fell ill or got grievously injured, she could take care of it without having to pay the physician to heal either one of them. She had posted a sign outside their door that indicated the welcome of any patients, to help bring in money. Adi however, hadn't had a job in several weeks, and they were suffering because of it.  
When Adi was sixteen, she met a man who would became a very dear friend to her, but she would probably drown him in the ocean before admitting it. His name was Killian Jones, and when she first met him, he was covered in blood. 

"Help! Help please!" The cry came from outside their hovel. Someone began pounding on the door desperately. 

Lana opened the door and two men stumbled in. One of them held up the other. The taller of the two was clutching his hand, or rather, stump of a hand that was bleeding profusely. The one who had cried out was a stocky, muscular man , who carefully laid the bleeding one down on the bed Lana directed him to. 

"Get back to the ship Sebastian," The bleeding man grunted. Sebastian had worry written all over his face. 

"He's right." Lana spoke up, pushing him aside. "I need space and you are a distraction. Get going." She ordered. Sebastian nodded in understanding, and promptly did as he was told.  
Lana leaned over Killian, inspecting the wound. She bit her lip. She had been studying basic medical magic for six years, but she wasn't sure she could do an amputee surgery on her own. Perhaps she should fetch her master. But there wasn't time. He had lost too much blood already. 

"Adi!" She shouted. Adi, who had been in back garden trying to harvest what little bland vegetables they had,mostly cabbages, had not heard the commotion that was going on inside the hovel. 

She came in at the sound of Lana's cry. "Help me with this." Lana ordered. Adi came forward immediately, and inspected the wound. She glanced at Lana's face, and saw the worry lines that creased her it. "You can do this Lana." She spoke firmly.  
Lana nodded, encouraged by her sister, and began to get to work. Adi hovered nearby, with sterile rags and herbs for pain.  
While Adi ground the herbs and made them into a rather bitter tea, Lana began to work on Killian. He shouted more curse words than Adi had ever heard in her life. 

"Drink this." Adi ordered him sharply, and helped him drain the nasty liquid. He swallowed it and grimaced. 

"I prefer rum." He grunted weakly. 

"If you make it through this, I'll buy you a bottle." Adi replied dryly. A sharp cry of pain escaped Killian as Lana pressed a rag against his stump to absorb the bleeding so she could better inspect his wound. 

The operation was gruesome. And painful. Killian strained violently against Adi, who held him down with surprising strength for such a lean, skinny thing. He grew paler and began sweating in rivulets, which did not improve Lana's confidence. But she persisted, as did Killian. At long last, Lana declared that she was finished.  
Killian had passed out about twenty minutes into the surgery. Adi carefully cleaned up the blood soaked rags that were littered everywhere, while Lana lay down, her eyes closed.  
The rest of the evening Adi cared for Killian while Lana rested. 

His entire body was drenched in sweat, so Adi carefully removed his shirt, avoiding his fresh stitches as much as possible. She placed a cloth on his head to absorb the moisture, and then she covered him with several blankets to help break the fever. Every hour she checked his bandages, to see if his stitches had reopened. But, the evening passed quietly. Adi stayed near him through the night, and in the early morning, before the sun had even peaked over the hills, Killian woke.  
He was first aware of the bitter pain in his arm, but then he noticed the girl who sat in a chair, her head resting on the table next to the bed, with her eyes closed. He studied her pale, intricate face, surrounded by a plumage of wild black hair. Her long lashes curled against her cheeks, fluttering every now and then as she breathed.  
Sensing someone was staring at her, she opened her eyes, and a faint smile came to her face. 

"You're awake." She commented, rising from her chair. She came toward him. "How is your wound?" She questioned, peeling back the covers to inspect it. He shifted his arm slowly, painfully, for her to look at. 

"It looks like your stitches held. I imagine the pain must be is hurting something fierce. I'll gather some herbs I can give you to help." She spoke matter of factly.  
" I didn't realize you were an expert in medical procedure." He replied sourly. 

"I'm not." She replied. "That's my sister. She's apprenticed to the village physician. I've just been around enough injuries to know what an infection looks like, which you don't have by the way, and I know about how long a amputated appendage will hurt for." Adi looked away. "The Ogre Wars." She said as way of explanation. She redressed his bandages and slid his arm under the heavy blankets. 

"Lana, my sister might be able to use some magic to help you. She's been studying medical magic for several years."  
Adi said.

 

"I don't trust magic." He hissed. Adi sensed there were bitter memories that he associated with the powerful art.  
"Well, unless you want to take several months to heal, I suggest you get over it." She replied flatly. "Here." Adi poured some water into a gourd from a pitcher on the bedside table she had slept on. "You lost a lot of your body's liquids. You need to rehydrate." She held it gently while Killian took a long lull.

After he had finished he licked his lips and watched as she set the gourd down. "You stayed up all night waiting on me?" He asked, looking at the chair. 

"Yes. The first night is always the hardest. We usually keep a constant eye on those who have surgery overnight, because they need constant care."

"I didn't know you worried so much about your patients." 

"You can't pay us if your dead." She replied with a mischievous smile. Killian laughed, and the feeling felt foreign. It seemed ages ago that he had laughed like this. The movement caused a sharp pain to ripple through his arm. Adi noticed. 

"I'll go tell Lana you're awake." She announced, and disappeared out the door. 

She woke Lana up and informed her of Killian's status. "Good. He made it through the night." She murmured, shaking off the bonds of sleep. "Thank you for watching him. It's your turn to get some rest." Lana stroked Adi's hair and smiled gratefully before going to Killian's room. 

Adi gladly gave herself over to sleep. Although she had slept some while watching over Killian, she hadn't gotten nearly enough. However, her sleep didn't last long. There was a commotion in the main room that awoke her. 

She became dimly aware of Lana yelling and doors being slammed. Rubbing her eyes, she emerged from the room. "What's going on?" She intoned. 

"His crew. Honestly, how do they expect him to heal if they're barging in every minute?" Lana snapped.  
"Is he asleep then?" Adi asked. 

Lana hesitated. "No. He doesn't want the crew to see him. Not like this." 

"What do you mean?" 

Lana shrugged. " Injured. Heartbroken." 

"Heartbroken?" Adi inquired. 

"Yes. Evidentially he lost his hand to a crocodile. This crocodile also killed his lover." Lana explained. 

"Wow. Must've been one hungry crocodile." Adi replied. There had once perhaps been a time when both girls would have been disturbed by such an event; a crocodile mutilating a man and his lover while not necessarily common, was not something that was terribly alarming to them. They had seen many injuries, far more brutal and bloody than a missing hand, from wars and even a few tavern fights that had gotten out of control. They had become so desensitized to such viciousness in the world, that performing such a surgery like they had on Killian, had very little effect on them. Even so, Adi's tactless and insensitive comment was nothing short of cruel. 

"Adi!" Lana scolded, though she was smiling. "You are such a distressing girl." Lana sighed, pressing her fingers to the bridge of her nose. 

Adi tipped her head. "Are you alright?" 

"Just a headache." Lana dismissed lightly. 

But Adi was no fool. She knew what those headaches meant. "Lana, when was the last time you ate?" 

"Adi-" 

"Don't you dare lie to me."  
Lana hesitated. "I...I'm not making enough from my apprenticeship to feed both of us as well as patients." She replied quietly. 

Adi sighed. "I know. I'll keep looking for any employment alright? Until then, you and I will split rations okay?" She squeezed her sister's arm. Lana looked displeased with this, but knew it was for the best, and let it go with a unhappy sigh. 

As Adi left to fetch fresh water, Lana studied her. Adi's willowy frame did not show how much hard muscle the girl had developed over the hard years of backbreaking labor. Adi had taken on jobs that even some of the men had refused, and somehow had managed to do these difficult tasks gracefully. With Lana having to balance time between patients and her apprenticeship, Adi had stepped up, like she had with countless times before, to take care of their ill or injured, just to make things easier for Lana. And Lana both loved and hated her for it. 

Killian had agreed to let Lana use magic to speed up his healing. He decided he wanted to get back to his crew as quickly as possible, to begin hunting this crocodile. In all that time his crew dared not to come back. Evidentially Lana had frightened them terribly. Instead they made an agreement. Lana would go down to the docks and give them a report every day, until Killian was well enough to visit them himself. He stayed in town a few days longer however, until the stump was no longer painful to the touch, so that Lana could periodically check on him. A week after they had first taken him in, Killian had a request. He wanted some sort of covering to go over the ugly scarred skin, something that could accommodate a silver hook that he insisted on using to skin his crocodile. Adi thought that this was extremely impractical but he was willing to pay them extra if they organized all the requirements with the blacksmith.  
So, that afternoon while Lana was making the arrangements, and Killian stayed at the house to wait, he and Adi found themselves with a day of free time. Killian used it to teach Adi how to gamble.  
Adi caught on quickly. Her sharp, quiet eyes noticed every detail, every dirty trick Killian tried to pull. 

"So," Adi said as she threw the dice, "You're a captain then?" She asked. 

"Aye. Captain of the finest ship ever to set sail, The Jolly Roger." he replied. 

"So I suppose you'll be off as soon as you're hook is made." Adi continued. 

"Indeed. I've got a find a way to kill that demon." Killian replied with gritted teeth. 

"I thought it was a crocodile."

"He is." Killian answered sharply, taking the dice from the table. Adi decided to detour the conversation back to the point she was trying to make. 

" Do you have any openings for your crew?" She asked. 

"What?" Killian was so taken aback he dropped the dice. 

"I need work," Adi went on quickly. "I've hardly earned anything in the past several months, and Lana and I can't live like this during the cold season. So, if you'd be willing to hire me-" 

"-Out of the question." Killian stated firmly. 

"I'll work hard," Adi continued desperately. "I don't care how awful the job is I'll do whatever you need, please," Adi could hear the begging tone in her voice and resented it bitterly. 

"No, it's not a matter of you working hard. I've watched you these past several days and I don't doubt you could do the work required to keep a ship like the Jolly Roger in top shape. No,the problem is that you are a woman." He said sharply. "The men I have hired, I cannot vouch for the virtues of all of them. While they should know better than to disobey a direct order, should I give it, I cannot say that they will not treat you well as a crew member, simply because you are a girl. Besides that, I have learned that the seas are not kind to women." Killian said, his voice husky. 

"The seas are not kind or the men who sail them aren't?" Adi challenged angrily. 

"Look, I'd like to take you on board, I would, but it's not going to happen. So stop being ridiculous. Irrationality doesn't suit you." He snapped. 

Just then, Lana came into the hut with the newly fitted metal covering for his hand.  
She took one look between the two of them and her eyes narrowed. "Have you two been quarreling again?" She demanded.

Adi glanced at her, and then laughed. It was false, but Lana didn't have to known that. "You sound like a cross mother. No, don't worry. Killian is just upset because I'm better at this game than him." She teased. 

The evening passed quietly, with Killian staying for supper for one last time, before he set sail the next morning. After the meager stew, the girls both hugged him farewell. 

Killian smiled gratefully to them both, and said his goodbyes. However, as he was leaving walking down the dirt path, he heard someone running after him.  
He turned and saw Adi, her wild black hair flying fast behind her. 

"I want to ask you to reconsider about the job," she began hastily. "You said you wouldn't let me join the crew because I'm a woman. Well," she gulped in a breath, "What if I wasn't a woman?"


	2. Chapter Two

“No.” Hook was adamant. 

 "Why not?“ Adi demanded rudely, placing her hand on her hips. 

 "Where we’re going, it could be highly dangerous.” He snapped. 

“I don’t care!” Adi cried. “I’ll be careful. Either let me come as a woman or come as a man. But either way, I’m coming. Your crew has never seen me, and you said yourself that I’m capable of the work, and I need to get Lana through the cold season.” 

Hook studied her carefully. "Listen,” He began, his tone oddly serious, “I am grateful to you and your sister. I understand I owe you both, more than the money I have given. You can’t put a price on life…” Killian was quiet for a moment, thinking. “So keeping that in mind…if I allow this, you have to keep yourself a secret. I…I had a woman aboard my ship, for several years, but she was not apart of the crew, in the same sense you would be. I know my men…they would treat you differently, never mind what sort of liberties they might attempt…” Killian groaned. “They’re good men, but…it  _would_ be safer if you were a boy. So you must,  _must_  remain a man to them." 

 "Deal!” Adi grinned, holding out her hand for him to shake. 

  "Well…“ Hook sighed, eyeing her. After a long pause, he said  ” _Lad_ , welcome to the crew.” He took her hand and shook on their agreement. “ Meet me at the docks tomorrow morning. We leave a first light, so don’t be late. And you better be a lad when I see you.“

  
Convincing Lana was not easy. A nasty fight broke out between the sisters. 

 "I’m not letting you on a ship with a bunch of pirates!” Lana shouted.

 "It’s Killian, Lana. We can trust him!“

 "We’ve known him but a week Adi! Do you give your trust away so easily?” Lana hissed.  

Adi glared at her. “Shout all you want. No one in this town will hire me. We have very little options. Unless you’d prefer I start selling my body, as the sailors who plague the docks or the men of the tavern suggest.” She replied darkly

 "You may as well be!“ Lana burst out, tears springing in her eyes. "Do you really think Killian and his crew will just ignore you? The only woman aboard?” Lana asked. 

 "That’s why Killian and I agreed to hide my gender.“ Adi pointed out. “I’ll just cabin boy to them.”

 "It’s not safe!” Lana sat down at the table and put her forehead in her hand. Adi sighed. She hated to see Lana so upset. Especially when it was over her safety, something neither one of them had very much contorl over. 

 "I know.“ Adi replied with a sigh, taking Lana’s hand. "But you can’t always protect me. I have to take this risk, or we’ll both starve.” She squeezed her hand tightly, willing her to understand. “ I have to get ready. I need to pack. Do you still have some of fathers’ old clothes?” She asked.  

Lana laughed bitterly. “There’s no way those will fit you. ” She paused for a moment, and then sighed heavily. “Go and ask Mrs. Feldman if she still has some of hew son’s old clothes.” Her voice was strained. It made Adi’s heart clench. “He was always a skinny thing like you.” Lana continued. “Tell her we have a patient who’s ruined his clothes and can’t afford more." 

  
Their neighbor, Mrs. Feldman, had always been kind to them. She had brought them many pies, soups, loaves of bread, and other treats that she could spare over the years. She had always been a generous and giving woman, and Adi did feel a bit guilty as she took the several pairs of clothes from her. The kind woman even threw in a pair of boots. Adi returned to their hut and began washing the clothes. The Feldman boy never had been very hygienic. She finished and hung them out to dry.

Ater she finished laundering, she looked over to her sister, who was sitting on their small table, her forhead resting in her hand. Adi had the suspicion that Lana had another headache.

 "Lana?” She approached her sister tenatively, wondering if she was still angry. 

“Yes, Adi?” She replied, sounding exasperated. “Would you…cut my hair? I worry that I will make it look bad." 

Lana laughed at that. "You never were one for such things.” She smiled, but it was sad. She directed Adi to a chair. Lana got her scissors, and began to cut away at Adi’s beautiful hair. Strand after strand of black hair tumbled to the ground, making a wreath around the chair. Adi sat patiently as Lana snipped and chopped. Finally, she set the scissors down.    
Adi stood and looked at her expectantly. Lana smiled faintly. “Even as a boy you’re beautiful.” She said. “And no haircut will ever tame those locks.” She tugged affectionately at a strand of Adi’s short hair. “Now go and wash for the night. I’ll clean up.” And so, Adi took her bath, put on her nightgown, and lay her head to rest before embarking on an adventure not even she would realize the magnitude of. 

* * *

Adi only managed a few hours of sleep. Morning came far too quickly. She grabbed her sack and hugged Lana fiercely. Both girls’ eyes were misty. “I’ll send you all my wages. I’ll be home in a few months, after this expedition, I promise."  Adi said as she pulled out of the hug to look at Lana’s face.

"Don’t you worry about me, you silly girl.” Lana smiled, but it faltered. “Please, just be safe.”  She pulled her into a hug one more time, before releasing her.

“I will.” Adi promised her, and smiled reassuringly. And so, with heavy goodbyes, Adi turned down the road, and made her way to the docks. 

Killian was there to greet her as the dawn broke. He eyed her up and down. “Well, I suppose you look the part well enough.” He said. “Except…” He pondered, looking her up and down.  

“What?” She asked, also looking at her body. She looked like as much a boy as any she’d ever seen. 

 "You’re too clean.“ And with that, Killian promptly pushed her into the mud.   
Adi spluttered for a minute, surprised, and then began to laugh. She pulled herself out of the dirt, and looked down at her clothes. She had dark stains across the knees of her trousers and a smear across her chest.

  
"Never met a lad in my life who didn’t have some dirt on his nose.” Killian laughed. “Now come on. We’ve got work to do." 

  
Adi followed him aboard, where a group of men awaited. "Men, this is…” Killian trailed off abruptly, realizing that he and Adi hadn’t thought of a boy’s name for her.   “Adam.” She grunted, thinking quickly. 

  
“Adam. Right. This lad is going to be our cabin boy.” He glanced at her, and then jerked his head, indicating for her to move to the side by the other pirates. Adi scrambled into position quickly.

 "Sebastian! Maurice!“ Killian shouted, and two men came from below decks,carrying a wrapped body on a board. As they moved toward the edge of the ship, Killian began to speak.

  "Men, today we honor one of the finest pirates to sail the seas.” Killian’s voice was rough. “My beloved Milah, who was the bravest woman in all the realms.” He placed his hand on her head. “Return to the sea, love, and may you continue to guide us.” He took something out of his pocket while the men situated the board against the ship’s railing. He stared at the object in his hand, his face shadowed. He glanced at Sebastian and Maurice, and nodded. They tipped the body into the sea. He watched the waters for a moment, as they carried her away, before turning back to his crew. 

“Hey! Hey!” A muffled cry caused heads to turn. A small, portly man stood, his mouth gagged, held back by two pirates. Killian glanced at him, almost disinterested. Adi blinked. his whole demenor changed. Though he had kept himselt composed during Milah’s water burial, Adi could still see the softness in him she’d come to recognize. Apparently he felt no warmth for the man who was calling to him. 

“Allow him to speak.” Killian said. One of the pirates removed the man’s gag while the other untied him.

“I want my bean!” The man demanded, striding angrily toward the captain.

 "Let me tell you how it works on my ship – I make the demands, you follow them.“ Killian said, nodding at him with a wicked grin. "Bean’s now mine.”

 "You have to give me something for it.“ The man cried, desperately.

 "Oh, I will. ” Killian replied, his voice scarily sharp.

 "Your life.“ He glanced around the ship. "A chance to join my crew.” He added, nodding to the men. 

“So, instead of the promise of eternal life, I get to scrub blood off your decks? How is that right?” The man snapped. 

 _What a crybaby_. Adi thought, rolling her eyes. Clearly this man had never been cheated before. Or apparently didn’t know how piracy works..

 "Well, what if I was to tell you I was about to set sail to a land where none of us will ever grow old?“ Killian countered, his eyes dancing. "Where I can discover how to get my revenge on Rumpelstiltskin." 

 _Rumplestiltskin?_  Adi wondered. 

The man grinned. "Guess I could live with that.” He replied. 

“Good. What’s your name, sailor?” Killian asked. 

“William. William Smee.” He stated. “Can I have my hat?” He asked, nodding to one of the pirates wearing a red cap.Killian gestured to the pirate, who tossed it over.

“Well, Mr. Smee, welcome aboard.” Killian held out the object he had been holding. Adi caught a glimpse of something transparent, before Killian threw it overboard. A giant whirlpool opened up where the tiny splash had been made. 

“Hold on and get ready to set sail, mates. There’s bumpy seas ahead!” Killian shouted over his shoulder as he climbed the short stairs to the rudder. The crew began to scramble around to their stations. Adi gripped onto the ship’s railing. Smee looked around, a slight terror in his eyes.

 "What’s the name of the place we’re headed, Captain?“ He asked. Killian was attaching a gleaming silver hook into the covering Lana had gotten him. 

 Killian glanced at Smee, a  mischevious gleam in his eye."Neverland!” He shouted, a grin forming on his face as he steered the ship straight for the whirlpool.   

* * *

Killian hadn’t been lying. The ship groaned and strained as they were tossed around and around. Adi clung to the railing as water was flung everywhere. 

“Only you,” she shouted over the noise, “Would be so mad as to sail into a whirlpool!”   
Killian laughed at that, and then, finally, they broke free. Adi fell flat backed onto the deck and stared upward, at the sky. Brilliantly blue.  She began to laugh. 

“That was…” she couldn’t find the right word to describe it, so she just started laughing again. “On your feet sailor.” Killian ordered her. Adi laughed again and hoisted herself up. 

 "Know anything about sailing?“ He questioned. 

 "Bit late to be asking that.” She replied with a grin. “But no, not really. I’d worked on the small fishermen boats for a few months about two years ago, but never on a ship of this size.” She explained. 

“Perfect.” He replied sarcastically. “Well, I think it’s high time you learn.” “There’s more to pirating than just knowing how to work a ship.” He gestured for her to follow him. He walked down the deck, gesturing to different parts of the ship and naming them, telling her about what each one did, and how to work it. He was surprisingly patient.

 "So what’s here in Neverland?“ She asked as she began rigging a pulley system to raise some barrels from below deck.

 "A poison.” He replied. “It’s called Dreamshade. I believe it can help me kill Rumplestiltskin.” Killian’s eyes darkened, as they did whenever the msyerious Rumplestiltskin was brought up.

 "There weren’t any poisons in The Enchanted Forest?“ Adi replied dryly.

 "Not any that can kill him.” Killian replied, ominously. 

  
The portal had dropped them out a few weeks journey away from the island where the poison was located, and in that time Adi had to adjust quickly. Adi was on the lowest rung of the social ladder with the crew, and had to work hard to prove her worth. She and the men began to get along better and better, and took on her fiery attitude with great affection. 

  
Killian, unfortunately, in times where he wasn’t paying close attention, would often slip up and call her Adi. Thankfully, the crew took it as a nickname to Adam, but teased her about such a girly nickname. So Adi began a game. She nicknamed just about the entire crew, and it became almost ceremonial. Some of her nicknames were clever and thought out, while others were simple. Some were just cruel, like the nickname she gave her Captain. Captain Hook, as she would mockingly call him. The crew was tense around the nickname, because of the  unpleasant memories that were associated with it. But Captain Hook, much as he denied it, had a soft spot for the girl, and allowed only her to call him such a name. Adi certainly had made her presence well known on the ship, not just for how well she fit in among the men, but for how hard she worked for someone her size. 

From dawn to dusk,there was Adi, running up and down the ship, above decks and below, doing all sorts of tasks. And though it had only been a few weeks, the crew grew fond of her, and she them. Sebastian had taken up to teaching her swordsmanship, and Killian would give her a private lesson every once and awhile, when they both had time. 

At the evening of a little over a month at sea, Hook ordered for them to drop the anchor. “We’ll rest for the night mates, and tomorrow we go ashore.” There was a cheer at that.

 "Well well well, quite the celebration.“ A new voice cut through the din. The crew turned to see a boy casually sitting on the railing. He was clad in green and brown attire, a dagger resting against his hip. His dusty brown hair curled slightly out of his face, and his eyes were brilliantly bright. Adi found herself admiring him without wanting to. Nevertheless, she and the entire crew jumped up into defensive positions, pulling out their swords. 

 "Been a long time, hasn’t it?” The boy continued, showing no alarm to the sharp objects pointed at his face. He was addressing Hook.

  "How’s your brother?“ He asked tauntingly. 

 "What is it you want, boy?” Hook bit back sharply.

 "Just curious.“ The boy stood up and walked along the railing. "What’s the King’s Navy doing back in Neverland?” He glanced at him.

 "Although I must say, based on your wardrobe change, I take it your not a sailor anymore.“ He glanced him and down. ” It’s an improvement.“ His arrogant attitude was starting to annoy Adi. 

 "Always a sailor, just for a different flag.” Hook replied, glancing up at the black cloth. 

“Ah yes.” the boy followed his gaze. “Pirate flag, if I’m not mistaken.” He looked back at Hook. 

“Very well, what do  _pirates_  want in Neverland?” He rephrased with a sneer. Adi bristled at his tone’s insinuation; he was implying that they weren’t real pirates.

“Dreamshade.” Hook replied evenly. 

The boy laughed. “Again? Not still looking for a magical cure are we?" 

"More like a magical poison.” Hook answered, gritting his teeth. 

The boy smirked. “My my, you have changed. May I ask,  _pirate._ ” he grinned, “Who the unlucky victim is?”  

“That is my business boy.” Hook replied.

 The boy didn’t seem to like that. “Fine.” He sighed, almost bored. “You know where the dreamshade is. But,” he paused, and his eyes settled on Adi. She tensed at his stare. “All magic comes with a price.” He began walking toward Adi. “I suppose you wouldn’t have known Killian,” he said over his shoulder, “but I’m not the only one on the island anymore. I have some friends here now.” A nasty grin begin to grow on his face. “And every boy on this island,” he said, smiling at Adi, “Is mine.”

 "What?“ Adi said sharply, raising her sword to rest lightly against his throat. She was beginning to like this boy less and less.

"You want the dreamshade?” He asked, turning to Hook, away from her sword nocholantly. “He’s my price.” He turned back to Adi. “Become one of my Lost Boys. You’ll live here, on the island and work for me." 

"What an offer.” Adi replied sarcastically.

 "Why are you running around with pirates anyway?“  He questioned. "No where else to go?” He cocked an eyebrow. 

“No other options.” She replied, not wanting to give him more information about her.

“I see.” He said, clearly thinking that she was a runaway, someone who was homelss or something, and shew as perfectly fine with letting him assume that. 

“Come on. What, do you think these pirates are your family?” He asked, looking around. “They’re pirates, they’d sell you out for half a gold coin.” He laughed.

 Adi tensed, glaring at him. "And what makes you think we need your permission to take what we want?“ She smiled. "As you pointed out,  _we’re_  pirates.” She said, emphasizing the fact that she was one of them. He returned her smile. 

“I suppose you could call me the King of this island. Nobody does anything without my permission." 

"Well, King, I think you’ll find pirates don’t play by the rules.” She snapped. She turned back to Killian. “I’m done humoring this boy.” She sighed. “Captain, shall we get going?”

 "Agreed.“ Killian replied, glaring at the boy. "Men, get ready to dock!” He shouted, and the crew scrambled around to prepare the ship. Adi tensed as she felt the mysterious boy come up behind her. 

“You’re going to regret not taking my deal.” He whispered. “You can’t break  _my_  rules and still expect to win.” 

 Adi turned around to sock him in the mouth, but he had disappeared. She spun around foolishly, but he was gone as mysteriously a he’d appeared. Adi rolled her eyes, guessing that he was hanging off the side of the ship or had boat waiting below. He certainly was theatrical, she’d give him that.

Now that their supply had been threatened, the men agreed to get the dreamshade that night, and sail out of Neverland immediately.   Adi thought this was ridiculous, he was just one smug brat. What could he do against the whole crew? But she didn’t complain. The sooner they got what they needed, the sooner they would get home. Killian only brought a few men with him into a longboat, the rest left to watch the ship.   Adi went with Killian, Sebastian, and Maurice into the boat, and helped row them to shore. They pulled up on the sandy bottom of the water, and Adi and Sebastian pulled the boat into the beach.   

 Hook jumped out, water splashing up on his boots. “Come on men, that’s the peak we’ve got to climb.” He gestured to a far off cliff side with his hook. 

And so they began the trek through the jungle. Adi, being the human pack mule she was hired for, carried all the supplies. They walked for about an hour, before finally reaching the cliff.

 "Right then. Adi, you’ll scale the cliff and throw down the rope, aye?“ Hook ordered. 

"Aye Captain.” She replied. She tossed the rope over her shoulder, and grabbed onto the rocky structure. 

Adi scrambled up the rocky slope carefully, her quick, slender hands finding handholds almost mindlessly. She reached the top in almost no time at all. 

“Now, lad, when you get to the top, be careful with that plant!” Hook shouted up to her. “One scratch from its thorns and you’ll be dead." 

  
"Aye Captain.” She called back warily. She secured the rope and tossed it down to them. She sat on a rock, bored, as the  men climbed up. 

 "Took you long enough.“ She huffed as they reached the top. 

 "Bugger off.” Sebastian replied, slightly out of breath as he clambered up. Hook strode to the plant. He carefully drew his sword and hacked off a branch, letting it fall to the ground. Using his hook, he pulled it farther away from the other thorns, and toward him. Carefully, he picked up the bottom of it and held it out horizontally so that no poison would even drip onto him. “Adi, the vial.” He said.   
Obediently, Adi reached into her pack and pulled out the glass bottle. Cautiously, she placed it against one of the thorns, and watched as the black liquid slowly dripped down. Ever so slowly, she moved from thorn to thorn, until the bottle was nearly full. She put the stopper in it, and handed it to Hook. He tossed the plant far off, and then put the dreamshade in his coat pocket. 

  
“Well, quite the lengthy process.” Adi ground her teeth. She knew that voice immediately. It was that arrogant boy again. Had he really followed them from the ship? 

 "But you know,“ He continued, ” You could have just asked me to get it for you.“ He glanced over at Hook, his trademark grin on his face. "Don’t you remember from your last visit? I gave you a nice little demonstration."He waved his hand, and immediately a black cloud rose out of the dreamshade bush. 

Suddenly Hook remembered how the boy had magically moved the bush…pushing the branches aside without touching them…to reveal the revival waters that would counteract the poison…he had been so distracted by Liam, he hadn’t even thought about it. The boy was a sorcerer.

 "Take all the dreamshade you please.” The boy grinned. 

 "You have magic.“ Adi said with clenched teeth.

 "Indeed.” The boy replied. She really wanted to punch that stupid smile right off of his mouth. “And I’d wager, from your expression, you know how powerful magic can be.” He smirked at her. “And I’ll bet,” he went on, lowering his voice, “you’re wondering just what sort of price you’ll have to pay for not taking my deal.” His eyes gleamed.  Suddenly he surged the black cloud of dreamshade forward with a flick of his wrist, right at Sebastian. The poison attacked immediately, and in that high a dosage, it turned Sebastian’s entire body black. His eyes became jet black pits, and the poison began to leak out of his eyes, his ears, and his nose. He was choking on it. And oh how he screamed. 

“Sebastian!” Adi shouted. Thr boy’s villainous smile grew. “And for your disrespect, Captain,” he sneered, “ Good luck getting off this island without my help.” He grinned, and was gone. 

  
Adi dropped to the ground, and reached for Sebastian’s body, her hand shaking, but was jerked back quickly by Hook.  "His entire body is laced with poison lad. You can’t touch him.“ His voice was rough. 

 "Well we can’t just leave him here!” Adi shouted back angrily.   
“We don’t have a choice!” He replied sharply.

 "Pull yourself together sailor. We need to get back to the ship.“ He ordered. Adi glared at him. "Irrationality doesn’t suit you.” Hook told her, before making his way down the cliff. Adi looked at Sebastian’s body, and felt tears pricking her eyes, but she refused to cry. Not right now. As they walked back to the ship, Maurice put his hand on Adi’s shoulder. 

“Adam,” he said heavily, but Adi jerked away from him. She didn’t want comfort from anyone.

* * *

“You just left him there?!" 

"What kind of magic does this boy have?”

 "How could you bring us here?“

 The angry voices of the pirates could have been heard in any realm. They were all shouting and protesting now that the news of Sebastian had been brought back. 

"You all knew the risks!” Hook shouted back at them.  "I warned you all before we set sail that we’d be going after dreamshade!“ 

 "We knew we were tracing a poison!” One of the men, Lewis, cried. “What you failed to tell us, Captain, was about a demon boy who was protecting it!" 

Several of the pirates shouted their agreement.

  "Men!” Hook yelled over their voices. “We came here to obtain this,” he said, showing them the vial. “The Dark One is a force that threatened us all, and now we have the means to end that threat!" 

 "At the cost of Sebastian’s life!” Another pirate replied angrily.  "A sad, but worthy sacrifice! He knew, just as all of you do, that death is something that may happen to a sailor, no matter what realm he sails in!“ Hook shot back. 

 "I came here to live forever, not to get in the middle of a magical death match!” Smee yelled. “Give the boy the poison back, and perhaps we can live!”  

“The boy doesn’t care about the poison.” Adi spoke up. She had been silent since they returned from Dead Man’s Peak. “He killed Sebastian because of me. It’s my fault he’s dead.” She said hollowly. She glanced up at Hook. “Can I speak with you? Privately?” Hook looked at her puzzled for a moment, and then nodded. A few of the pirate grumbled their protests, but were quickly silenced by Hook.

Adi and her Captain made their way to Hook’s quarters at the back of the main deck..  "Lass,“ Hook began first. "It wasn’t your fault." 

 "But it was.” Adi replied. “I challenged him. I refused to work for him. I didn’t know he would go after the crew." 

 "Neither did I. I had no idea the boy possessed magic. I thought he was just a resident on the island.” Hook looked down. “There is much about this place I still do not know." 

 Adi looked up at him. "You mean to tell me you came to a whole different realm you knew little about?” She demanded.

  "I’d been here once before, but I didn’t of most of its dangers.“ Hook admitted. 

 Adi could have smacked him."You’re a damned fool Killian Jones.” She spat, and then she sighed. “I am going to go find this boy. If I tell him I am really a girl, I expect he will lose all interest in me.”  

 "Now who’s being foolish?“ He replied heatedly.  "I don’t think this boy would no longer care, in fact I’d wager he’d be even more interested." 

 "I doubt I am his type.” Adi replied flatly. “And even so, if he learns I am a girl, then he would no longer want me to work for him, to join his little gang. I don’t think he would kill any more of the crew.”

  
“Regardless, I don’t know how kindly he would take to thinking he had been deceived. We know very little about him, and we have already underestimated him once before.” Hook replied, his eyes dark.  Adi fell silent. He had a point. She thought back to their last encounter with him, and this thought reminded her of something

.“What did he mean finding a way off the island? You do have a way back to the Enchanted Forest don’t you?” She questioned sharply.

Killian looked at her a bit sheepishly.“Well…” He began slowly.

“Are you serious?!” Adi exploded.  

“Lass, part of the perks of this island is we’ve got all the time in the world. Time stands still here. We’ve got time to figure out a way home, and I have the time to learn all I can about dreamshade and if it can kill the unkillable. If not, I have time to find a new way. The Dark One is immortal, and while I’m here, so am I.” Killian reasoned.

 "You don’t have another portal to get back home?!“ She shouted viciously. "Time doesn’t stand still there! What about my sister Killian? She’s waiting for me to come home! Or did you forget all about the woman who saved your life because you were too damn focused on one who’s already dead?!” The look on Killian’s face told her she’d gone too far, but Adi didn’t care. He knew how important it was to her that she get home soon. And what of the other men? Surely they had families too, people they didn’t want to leave for too long. Hook lied to her, he lied to the crew. Adi felt herself shaking with anger. She held his glare for a moment, before turning away to leave. 

 "Where are you going lass?“ Hook asked, his voice tight with a barely kept composure.  She turned and glanced at him, her eyes smoldering. "I’m going to find that boy and beg him to let me go home." 


	3. Chapter Three

 

Adi marched through the forest, her head held up. She would not show sadness. She would not show grief. She wouldn’t dare give him the satisfaction. It felt weird, being weaponless. True she hadn’t used her sword for anything more than practice, but it had been clipped faithfully to her side throughout her entire journey, and now the lack of weight against her hip felt foreign. She had opted to leave it behind. She didn’t want to give him any excuse not to listen to her, and showing up armed wasn’t the best way to make negotiations, at least not when the other party held all the cards.   
“Are you lost?” Of course. He couldn’t resist gloating. She turned to him. He was leaning nocholantly against a tree, smirking at her. “I’m Peter Pan by the way.”

“Good for you.” She spat. “What do you want from me?”  

“So hostile.” He commented loftily. “I think I should be asking that.” He tipped his head, raising his eyebrow. “What brings you back into my forest?” A smile slowly approached his face.

  "Drop the pompous act, I’m not in the mood.“ She snapped. She glared at him a moment longer. "I’m here to propose a deal.” She said

. “Let me guess,” he interrupted. “You’re life in exchange for the poison body lying on top the ridge? Or perhaps your life for the rest of the pirates?” He laughed. “Do you really think you’re worth that much?" 

  
"No.” She bit back sharply. “I need to get off this island.” Her voice was resentful. “This was supposed to be a short trip. And apparently Captain Hook is even more incompetent than I took him to be.” She was almost shaking with anger. “He didn’t even have an exit plan. He had no idea how to get us back home, he doesn’t even know how the poison he crossed realms for is used! He just came here to escape time. It was a half assed, cock and bull plan that I was foolish enough to follow him on. I should have known better.” She looked away. “I gave my trust away too easily.” She thought painfully of Lana. She should have listened.  

Pan whistled. “What a outburst.” He commented obnoxiously. “So my understanding is, after you… _mistreated_ me with such a high disrespect, you want my help?” His eyebrows moved again, just infuriating Adi more. Was everything just a big joke to him? 

 "Yeah, and you killed my friend. We’re even.“ Adi replied flatly. "So quit your whining. I’ll do whatever you want, if you help me get back home." 

Pan tilted his head thoughtfully, considering her words. "Interesting that you’re so desperate to get back home.” He said slowly. “And an interesting choice of words…home.” He continued. “There are places you live, sure, but nothing makes it a home without something keeping you grounded there.” He smirked. “So tell me boy, what’s waiting for you in the Enchanted Forest?”  

Adi narrowed her eyes. He still believed she had no family waiting, and she wanted to keep it that way. “That’s not your concern, and it doesn’t require importance for our deal.” She replied. Pan’s smirk stayed perfectly placed. 

“Quick learner I see. Not going to give your trust away again?” He said mockingly. “Well, something you should know about Neverland, is time doesn’t just stand still, it works differently.” His smug attitude was not improving Adi’s mood. He began to walk around nonchalantly. “How long do you think you’ve been in Neverland?”

 Adi studied him suspiciously. What was he getting at? “I haven’t exactly been keeping track, but I’d say probably three months, even though you pointed out, time stands still.” She replied slowly. 

  
Pan’s wicked grin was frightening. “Oh if that’s the case, I’d say it’s been about thirty years you’ve been gone.” He replied.   
Adi’s stomach dropped. It was like she’d been punched. “You’re lying.” She said weakly.   
Pan smirked wider. He had her. “Not lying.” He replied lightly. “Time works differently here remember? What seems like a blink of an eye can be a whole year gone in another world. So if there’s someone waiting for you, I wonder how old they’d be now. Might even be dead.”  

Adi narrowed her eyes at him. “ All the more reason for me to get home.” She replied tersely. “What will it take?” She demanded. 

 Pan studied her. “Say this person is still alive,” He said. “Why didn’t they come to find you? It’s been thirty years, and in all that time they never once thought to look for you?” He wondered, feigning a innocent tone.

 "Crossing realms isn’t exactly a simple stroll through the woods.“ Adi snapped. 

"You managed it.” He shot back easily. “Surely this person would have found a way after three decades. Or perhaps they just gave up.” He raised an eyebrow again. “ Perhaps they wanted you to be dead. So they didn’t bother to find you, because they never wanted you to come home in the first place.”

 "You know nothing.“ Adi sighed angrily. "Quit speculating. Are you going to play games all day or are you going to answer my question?" 

  
Pan smirked. "Nothing will shake your focus eh?” He laughed. “Walk with me.” He ordered, and began to disappear through the foliage.   Adi had no choice but to grumpily trudge after him. Much as he annoyed her, he really was her only way of getting home. 

  
They walked in silence, though Adi could sense Pan’s irritating cockiness even though his back was turned to her the entire time. He led her into a dirt clearing, with a large fire pit and a scattering of cloth tents. Adi blinked in surprise. He took her to his camp?  Pan turned back to face her, a ominous grin on his face. “You want my help to get home?” He intoned. “Then prove to me that your the best Lost Boy here. Outrank the others. If I think you’re the best, then I’ll send you home.” He held out his hand. “Do we have a deal?” Adi stared at it like it was a pile of horse dung. But, grudgingly, she shook his hand. What choice did she have? 

  
“Come on out boys!” Pan shouted.  Like snakes, several teenage boys began to crawl out of the shadows.  "Felix!“ Pan called out. A tall lanky boy with filthy long blonde hair strode forward. Pan turned to Adi, grabbed her by the back collar, and shoved her forward. She stumbled but did not fall.  "Take care of the new one.” He ordered. Felix surveyed her, and smirked.

 "Come on.“ He said. Adi turned to look at Pan before he disappeared into the forest. With a irritated huff, she followed Felix around the camp. It all happened so quickly she wasn’t even sure she had caught everything. She was joining a bunch of forest dwellers. And she had to be better than all of them.   "Over here is cooking, that’s the sleeping tents over there,” Felix kept talking, oblivious to her lost expression, and ducked into a tent. Adi followed. “This is where we keep clothes.” He sifted through several articles of dark clothes. “You’re pretty small. I don’t know if I’ll find anything that’ll fit you very well.” He pulled out a bundle of clothes. 

 "What’s wrong with what I’ve got on?“ Adi demanded sharply, indicating to her gray tunic and brown vest. 

"If you’re going to be one of us, you have to dress the part.” Felix replied, tossing the clothes at her.  It consisted of a brown tunic and pair of trousers, a burgundy red cloak, a sturdy belt, and a patterned kerchief scarf. “Get dressed. You can put your clothes in that pile.” He nodded to a large bundle of rejected clothing.

Felix disappeared outside the tent with a swish. Adi unrobed quickly, before he returned. It would not bode well if she were discovered. Much as she was livid with Hook, he was right. She knew nothing about Pan, and with her whole future riding on him, she didn’t want to get on his bad side. And worst of all, she sincerely doubted you could be a Lost Boy if you’re not a boy. So she threw the clothes on at a rapid pace, and was just finishing fastening the cloak when Felix threw open the tent flap again.

 "Aren’t you done yet?“ He demanded grumpily. 

 "Just finishing.” She replied testily. 

 "You’re slow.“ He answered. 

 "And you’re impatient.” Adi replied without missing a beat.. Felix looked taken aback

. “Where to next?” She asked as she stomped past him to the camp outside.  

“The armory.” Felix replied from behind her. He pushed her out of the way and strode toward another tent. “You’ll need a weapon for hunting and fighting." 

 "Fighting?” She questioned. “With whom?”

 Felix looked over his shoulder with a wicked grin. “Each other.” He replied. “I heard that there once was some Indian boys who had built a village to the west of here, but it’s abandoned now. Pan says he used to get into scuffles with them." 

"Where did they go?” Adi asked, trying to hold back her eagerness. Perhaps they had found a way off the island.

  "Neverland used to be a place that we could only visit in our dreams. The Indian boys spent their evenings here, before Neverland became a permanent home. After that they just stopped coming.“ Felix shrugged. "That’s what Pan told me. Before I came to the island.”

  "How did you come to the island?“ Adi wondered. "How did Neverland become a permanent home? Why wasn’t it before?”  She  _was_  curious about this different land. The more she learned about it, the more knowledge she had to figure out a way off of the island

.Felix grumbled, annoyed. “You ask too many questions." 

"And you answer very few.” She replied lightly.

 Felix smirked. “No one was born on this island, not even Pan. But he found all of us, and gave us a home.” Felix replied. 

 "What, just whisked you away from other realms? That’s not exactly easy. How does Pan have the power to hop between worlds?“ 

 "That’s going too far.” Felix growled at her.  He jerked his head toward the tent entrance. Adi sighed and walked in. There were weapons of all sorts. Spears, swords, clubs, bow and arrows and more.  "Know how to fight with any of these?“ He asked.

 Adi surveyed the swords, looking at the different models.  "Did you make all these?” She breathed. They were beautiful

. “Some. There are a few boys who had worked as blacksmith apprentices, and liked to make the swords. Most were made by Pan, though. With magic.” Felix grunted. 

Of course. How else was there to reach this absolute perfection? As she surveyed the different swords, she began to pick apart the handcrafted ones. She could see the varying levels of skill in swords making. And then she could see the ones that were made with magic, no forge could have made such flawless designs. She picked up a small cutlass. It was what she had worked most with during her times with the pirates, but she had learned some fighting styles with a backsword as well. 

She twisted the cutlass in her hand, and decided that it would work well enough. She wished she had her sword that she was used to fighting with, one that was more accustomed to her size and weight, but she’s have to make do. It would take her a bit of time to get used to a new blade, one that, while meant for a smaller person, was still heavier and had a wider handle than her delicately crafted one that sat on Hook’s ship.  She turned to Felix with an expectant expression.

  "Sword huh?“ He rolled his eyes. "How original. He tossed her a sheathe and belt to clasp it around her waist and began to walk away. He didn’t turn to face her, but continued to speak.  "Eventually you’ll probably want to learn how to use long range like a spear or a bow and arrow or throwing knives. For now,” Felix turned and grinned at her. “Just enjoy yourself.”  Felix nodded towards a side of the camp where a couple of boys were sparring. If you could call it that. They looked like they were striving to kill each other.  “I’d like to see how good you are with that sword.” Felix said, by way of invitation.   

Adi gave him an annoyed sideways glance, before striding toward the boys. She sat a few paces away, unnoticed by the small group of them watching the two boys jabbing at each other. She tightened the straps on her boots, making sure they wouldn’t hinder her footwork. She grabbed a pair of the leather fingerless gloves from a crate nearby and put them on, feeling how they tightened her grip on the sword hilt. She watched the two boys, her clever eyes studying their fighting styles, before tossing her cloak to the ground. 

“I’ll take on the winner.” She called to them lazily. They paused their fighting and glanced at her. 

One of them burst out laughing.  "A scrawny thing like you?“ He chuckled. "You’d be better off fighting the loser.”  Adi narrowed her eyes.  _Prove to me that your the best Lost Boy here. Outrank the others_. She had to be stronger, faster, and better than all of them. Adi looked back at Felix, who was watching her. It was clear that he was second in command, and he would surely report her progress to Pan.

 She turned back to the boys. “How about I take on both of you then?” She challenged, and without waiting for a reply, she tore her sword from its sheathe and began to strike. 

The boy who had laughed jumped back in surprise, but recovered quickly. The other boy, a broad shouldered, black youth was already moving when she had unsheathed her sword. His reflexes were quick. She would have to watch him closely.  "Rules are simple.“ She spat as she dodged the chuckling boy’s attack. "If your blood gets drawn, you lose." 

 "Since when do you decide the rules?” The boy hissed back at her. 

 "The winner decides the rules!“ She shouted, and ducked as the dark skinned boy aimed a blow at her.   
She backed up, swinging her sword. There was no way she could fight two opponents at once if she didn’t keep an eye on them both. The black boy clearly saw this too, and tried to move into her blind spot. He was obviously the more skilled fighter between the two, whereas the other boy was too reckless. The obnoxious one moved to an offensive position, and moved to strike again. She twisted to the left, out of the sword’s path, and away from the quieter boy. This was good. It made it so that they were in a line, and therefore meant she could face the boy who had laughed one on one before the other boy moved to either side to attack again. 

  
She swung the sword, and it was quickly blocked. The boy put his weight against the blade, using his bigger size to his advantage. Adi didn’t have the time to hold against his force, the other boy was moving into position to attack while she was preoccupied. She needed to knock the first boy out of the game quickly.  Lifting her leg up, risking becoming unbalanced while holding her opponent off, she kicked him hard in the stomach. He let out a sickened groan and Adi felt the sword slacken for a moment. That was all she needed. Twisting her sword around his, she flung it out of the way and slashed upward, delivering a deep enough cut to his cheek. 

  
He backed up, touching his bloodied face in surprise.  "Round one goes to me!” Adi cried as she turned to face her next opponent. This boy was bigger than the other Lost Boy, and much better at fighting. Still… _I can’t lose_. Adi thought. She had to outrank them.  Their swords clashed. He glared at her. “Just because you defeated Rufio doesn’t mean an easy victory from me.” The boy said. Adi blinked. He spoke. 

  
He moved forward again, taking advantage of her surprise. But Adi wouldn’t dare let him nick her. She dodged to the side, barely escaping the sharp point. She swung her sword, attempting to cut his arm, but he twisted out of the way. His blade came again, and Adi held up hers to guard. He clashed against her, and Adi winced from the blow. She’s only been learning swordplay for three months, give or take. And she’s gotten only about an hour or so of practice each day, between all her tasks. These boys had been training for who knows how many years, for who knows how many hours a day. But there was something that gave her the advantage. These boys fought out of boredom. Adi fought for a reason.  

She felt her wrist crack and a sharp pain laced up her arm. She cried out, before biting the inside of her cheek, forcing herself to ignore the pain. With a fierce cry, she pushed away from him, forcing him back. The weight of the sword in her hand only increased the pain in her fractured wrist, but she refused to drop it. She flicked the blade upwards, and with a harsh effort, she shoved the other blade out of the way and struck at his chest. Blood began to stain his shirt.   
Adi sighed. Neither one of the boys sustained serious injury. They’d be fine. He wrist however wasn’t anything to sneeze at.

 "I win.“ She said in an airy tone. 

  
The boy glared at her, but nodded. "So you have.” He grumbled. Adi sheathed her sword.

  "That was impressive.“ A familiar accent called to them. Immediately a headache began to form in Adi’s temples. As if she didn’t need even more pain. She turned to see Pan standing by Felix, watching her. He smirked. Adi glared. 

She turned away and began to walk into the woods. Her wrist screamed at her.  "Where do you think your going?” Pan asked, appearing in front of her so suddenly that she ran right into him.

  "I have to go back to Hook’s ship.“ She replied. There was medical supplies there that she could fix her wrist with. But she couldn’t tell Pan that. A sign of weakness wouldn’t be tolerated.

 "I should probably tell him that I don’t intend to come back.” She replied, shoving him out of the way with her one good arm. She meant that part too. Killian had probably deduced her intentions, but Adi did want him to know she’d become a Lost Boy. Even though she was still angry with him, she couldn’t let him stay in the dark. She needed to get him up to date on her plans while she infiltrated Pan’s camp. Hook was still one of her allies, and she didn’t want to lose him. 

 " Not planning on becoming a spy for the pirate are you?“ Pan said testily.  Adi sighed. How tiresome. The battle had drained her energy and she didn’t feel like playing.

 "Don’t be stupid.” She replied. “Of course not.” She didn’t plan to spy for Hook, but rather, for herself. To learn all of Pan’s tricks, and see if there was a way to get back at him for Sebastian, while still securing her freedom. It was a dangerous game, but Adi wasn’t one for losing. She felt a hand on her shoulder, holding her back. She winced. He’d grabbed her bad arm. 

 "Good Lost Boys aren’t liars you know.“ He said in low tones. 

 "I’m not lying.” She spat, shrugging his hand off. Thinking quickly, she said “If it worries you that much then by all means come along with me.” She needed to earn Pan’s trust if she was going to make this work. She rolled her eyes. “Besides, knowing you, you’d love to gloat to him about how powerful you are." 

Pan tsked, annoyed. "They don’t talk back either.”

 "Oh? So you want me to just be a mindless soldier then?“ She laughed cruelly. "Don’t be stupid.” She repeated. “Mindless soldiers are fine for taking orders without question. A general is someone you can trust to give orders as well as take them.”

  "General?“ Pan scoffed.  

"Yes. Those boys back at camp? They’re soldiers. I intend to be a general.” She winked at him. “Outrank them right?" 

  
Pan smirked, amused. He glanced down, and his smile faded. "What happened to your wrist?” He demanded sharply. 

  
Adi looked down at her injury. It was now swelling and very faint purple bruises began to form. She winced. She’d definitely managed a hairline fracture, at least. “It’s nothing.” She dismissed, and kept walking.

 "Don’t be stupid.“ He replied, almost mockingly. In one swift motion, he grabbed her wrist and held it up for inspection. Adi cried out as the pain burned her entire arm.  Pan studied her injury, and blinked in surprise. "You broke it.”

 "You think?“ Adi replied wryly. 

"Here.” He held up his hand, a purplish glow of light coming from it. Adi jerked her arm away, and suffered bitterly for it.

 "I don’t need your help.“ She snapped.

  "How do you plan on being the best Lost Boy if you break your wrist after one fight?” He questioned.

 "I won didn’t I?“ She replied angrily. 

"Depends on where your standing.” He shot back.

 "What’s it to you?“ She demanded, marching away from him.

 "You’re a weak fighter.” He commented. 

“Shut up.”

 "You haven’t been fighting for long have you?“ 

 "Shut up." 

"Still, you did manage to beat them.” Pan continued, ignoring her. “What is it that makes you so determined?” Pan wondered. “What waits for you in the Enchanted Forest?" 

_"Shut up!”_  Adi grabbed her sword with her good arm and turned to strike Pan. But he’d vanished. Again.

 "You’ve also got a temper.“ Pan said from behind her. Adi spun around and pointed her sword at his chest. 

 "Put it away, you’ll just injure yourself more with another fight.” Adi narrowed her eyes. “You’re always glaring too. You’re going to hurt your eyes if you keep that up.” Pan said loftily. 

 "Then stop being an ass and I won’t have to glare so much.“ Adi replied, pushing past him.

 Pan laughed. "You’re good at arguing." 

"And you’re good at being annoying.” Adi called back to him.

“Oh it’s all fun.” He replied, catching up to walk in step with her. “So you didn’t tell the good Captain that you were leaving?” Pan asked as they made their way to the large river that opened into the ocean. The ship was docked right at the end of the river. “I told him I intended to go home. I’d like to explain to him what’s changed.” “Why?” Adi hesitated. She had to play this carefully. She needed them both. The last thing she needed was to have them against each other. Yes, Pan had killed Sebastian, her friend and mentor. Hook would not take that lightly. And Adi had not forgotten. Though she was playing nice now, she was still hungry for revenge. 

And she knew that Hook would want it too. But she prayed that he would be smart enough to see her plan. She invited Pan because she needed to earn his trust. To show him that she had nothing to hide. If he found out her secrets, her entire game could fall apart.

 "Because I don’t want him thinking you’ve kidnapped me or something. That idiot would probably get himself killed trying to wander through the jungle.“ 

 "Is he that protective of you?” Pan asked, intrigued. That wasn’t a question Adi felt she needed to answer. She looked away from Pan stubbornly and marched ahead of him.

They emerged from the foliage where the large ship was waiting. A makeshift dock had been made, from the shore to the ship. “Come on then.” Adi sighed, walking up the planked wood. She could hear the shuffling about on deck of the men working.  "Hi boys.“ She called as she jumped on the deck. 

 "Adi!” Maurice cried. 

Suddenly they all flocked to her, grabbing her into sideways hugs, throwing arms across her shoulders, and patting her head.  She winced in pain as they jostled her wrist.  "Hey hey, get off!“ Adi laughed, ignoring her wrist as she pushed away the crowd of arms.

 "What happened lad? The Captain said that you’d gone to talk to-”

“-Peter Pan?” The men turned. Pan had come aboard as well, and was walking along the railing.  His sneering smirk was back. He loved seeing the fear and reproachful look that shadowed the pirates faces. 

Maurice pushed Adi behind him protectively.  "What are you doing here?“ He demanded. 

"He invited me.” Pan replied wickedly, nodding at Adi. She pushed away from the pirates and walked to Pan. 

 "Come on.“ She sighed. ” Lets go talk to Hook.“ She turned to her pirates. "I promise I’ll talk to you as well, but I need to speak to the Captain. Where is he?” She looked around the deck, and up at the rudder, but there was no sign of him. 

 "He’s in his study quarters.“ Smee spoke up. Adi nodded. She glanced up at Pan, who jumped off the railing to land next to her. The pirates backed up like he was a poisonous snake. They split apart as Adi and Pan moved forward, going to the private captains quarters at the back of the ship on the main deck. Adi knocked twice before opening the double doors.  "Hook?” She called, walking in slowly. 

“Adi?” His voice came from the back of the room, by his desk. 

 "Aye Captain.“ She replied. 

He stood up and came toward her, but stopped when Pan came in behind her. "I see you found the demon.” Hook said lowly. 

 "My my,“ Pan clicked his tongue. "The pirates of this ship have no manners.” Adi glanced between them, worried a fight would break out.  

“Hook, I have come to tell you that I am not coming back to be apart of your crew.” She held her chin high. “I have joined Peter Pan to become a Lost Boy." 

"What?” Hook demanded sharply, his eyes flicking to Pan

.  "We’ve come to a deal Hook.“ She continued tersely.

 "You have taught me well, and I thank you for what you have done for me.” She glanced at Pan, who tilted his head and looked back at her, a conceited expression resting on his face. “But Pan is the only one who can help me. I hope you get what you’re looking for." 

 "This boy murdered Sebastian.” Hook said slowly. “And you’ll move past that just to get home?” His voice was growing menacing. “It would seem I taught you little. You know nothing of loyalty." 

 "Do not preach to me about loyalty and honor!” Adi hissed. “You are bound by no such rules, and you have no right to criticize me for how I choose to survive." 

"So you choose to forget your friends to survive.” Hook answered. 

 "Don’t say that so condescendingly.“ Adi snapped. "You would be willing to let this entire crew die in the name of your cause. Hook,” she said sharply, causing him to look up at her. “We understand one another. It doesn’t have anything to do with good form or bad form, or what kind of standards we have. It’s about achieving our greatest goal. Our life’s purpose. So I know you can comprehend why I am willing to do anything to get home. You share a similar determination, just for a different cause.” She tipped her head to him. He blinked in surprise. “You are no longer my Captain. I serve Pan now.”

 She turned to Pan. “Just let me gather my affects that I forgot and we can go.” Turning back to Hook, she said “I will not take any of the things I have come to use during my time with the crew.” She thought wistfully of her trusty sword. “These items belong to you. I will take what I brought with me when I first walked aboard this ship.” She nodded her head to him respectfully, and then turned to leave.  

“Adi.” Hook said lowly. She paused, waiting tensely for what he would say. “Look after yourself lad."Adi nodded once, and opened the doors back to the main deck.She let out a breath. To most, that would have seemed like a well wished goodbye. But Adi knew. He had called her "lad” specifically. He would keep her secret. He was still her ally. 

 Pan followed lazily behind her as she walked past the dumbfounded crew, who watched as she disappeared below decks with him.  She went to her corner on the second deck down. This was where all the men had slept on hammocks. She had chosen an inconspicuous space to occupy, and had her pack resting on her woven canopy.  She picked it up and slung it over her left shoulder. Inside were her basic medicinal supplies that she had brought from her little shack of a home, two tunics, one tan, one dark blue, a canteen for drinking, and lastly, was her sketchbook. Adi had rarely had time to draw, but she had loved to do it as a child, and tried to keep up the habit as much as possible. Traitorously burning inside it, was a drawing of Lana that she had made on her first night at sea. She was desperate to destroy it before Pan decided to go pawing through her stuff. 

 "That’s it?“ He questioned, eying the small pack.  "What’s in it?" 

Adi shrugged. "A few shirts. A canteen. It was the pack itself I cared more about.” She replied casually.  Pan hummed as if he didn’t quite believe her, but let it go.  They made their way above deck, where the entire crew stood, including Hook.  Adi surveyed the crowd of men, and felt a tug on her heart. They were her friends, and she was abandoning them. 

 She raised her chin and jumped onto the railing so that they could all see her.  "Men, whether the Captain has told you or not, allow you to hear it from me. I am joining Pan’s Lost Boys and will be following him. I hope you may find your way off of the island someday.“ She glanced around at them, their worn faces. "This is a farewell.” She said curtly. She looked over at Pan, who was smirking at her. “Lets go.” She spoke coldly. She hopped down, and began walking toward the dock.

 "Hold on.“ Pan stopped her. He glanced at the pirates. "Probably best if you don’t know where my camp is. Wouldn’t want you to follow us.” He remarked, and strode over to Adi. He stood facing her, and held her eyes for a minute, and then waved his hands, and they disappeared into a cloud of green. 

It was a strange feeling, being teleported. It felt like wind was tugging on her from every corner and she was being tossed around like a baby rattle. Until suddenly something gripped ahold of her feet and grounded her in place, and suddenly the green fog faded away and she was standing in the camp. 

Pan stood to her right, and glanced over at her. "I hope you meant that pathetic little speech. Because should your friends decide to take matters in their own hands, I expect you to prove your loyalty.“ He glimpsed down at her purple wrist. "If you won’t let me use magic, then go bandage that up.” He snapped. She tipped her head sideways, studying him.

“You’re cross with me."  

He glowered at her. "Let me fix your wrist.” He mumbled, his tone icy.

 Adi’s eyebrows furrowed with puzzlement. “You’re mad because of my wrist?” She wondered. 

Pan didn’t respond for a minute. “Don’t be stupid.” He said with a crooked grin. Adi rolled her eyes and held out her wrist obediently.

 "I can take care of myself Pan.“

"That doesn’t mean always doing things the hard way.” He replied, grabbing her arm. She winced. His hand glowed a bright purple, and he ran his hand up and down her wrists twice. Adi let out a breathy sigh before she could stop herself. The relief was almost instant. 

 "There. Next time don’t be a stubborn arse.“ Pan huffed. 

 "I only see one stubborn arse around here.” Adi replied with a teasing grin. Pan rolled his eyes but returned her smile.

 "So,“ he said slowly. "You’re name is Adi?” He wondered. His tone aws slightly suspicious. 

Adi laughed. “I guess you didn’t know. Hook gave me that nickname. My full name is Adam.” She blinked, slightly surprised with how easy it had become to lie about that.

 The nickname she had been given by her sister, was no longer so. Hook was it’s creator. And she somehow felt like she was hurting Lana over something so trivial, as if she was forgetting her sister. But she had to. She couldn’t let anyone know about Lana, especially Pan. These boys were wild and unpredictable, and she didn’t know what they would do. Pan could hop between worlds. Adi didn’t know how, but Felix had confirmed it to her, and therefore she couldn’t let him go near Lana. And in that moment, she had never felt more lonely.  She broke out of her reverie, realizing that Pan was talking.

 "We should get a fire going.“ He glanced up at the darkening sky. "Are you hungry?” He asked her. 

 "Starving.“ She replied.

 "Come on then.” He started walking toward a giant fire pit, and called out for Felix. “Go have one of the boys start preparing the food. You start the fire.” He ordered him, and then promptly stalked off toward a tent. Adi supposed he slept there.  

 "I guess he won’t be joining us?“ Adi questioned as she walked over to Felix. 

"Nah he’s just getting his pipes.” Felix replied as he tossed logs into the pit. He glanced at her, an indicated to the pile of logs. “Make yourself useful.” He said. As Adi jumped up, he continued to explain Pan’s pipes. “It’s a flute he likes to play sometimes. The boys dance around the fire." 

"How exciting.” Adi replied dryly. She was hungry and exhausted, and definitely didn’t feel like dancing.

  "You’re so grumpy.“ He commented. 

 "Shut up.” She replied tiredly.  Felix laughed, and began to light the fire. After a minute they had a good blaze going, and as more and more logs caught ahold of the flames, a bonfire had grown. 

  
By this time night had fallen. Felix had gone off to see to supper, and Adi was left alone to sit by the burning fire. She looked around, making certain that no one was looking at her or the inferno. She reached into her pack and pulled out her sketchbook. She opened to the very first page, where Lana’s face stared back at her. Adi smiled at the roughly sketched image, before tearing it from her book and tossing it into the fire pit. She watched as it caught quickly, and the page disintegrated into ash.  _I’m sorry Lana_. Adi thought. But she couldn’t risk any chance of the boys learning about her past. She put the sketchbook away, her chest tightening with grief. 

  
Slowly the other boys began to make their way around to the fire. To her surprise, the dark skinned boy she had fought this morning sat next to her. He glanced at her, and nodded his respect. Adi allowed herself a small smile of pride.

 "I’m Claude.“ He grunted.  "Adam, but folks call me Adi.” She replied.  "You fight well Adi.“ He commented. 

 "Thank you.” She responded. Suddenly a thin, scrappy boy plopped down on her other side.

 "So you’re the new one right?“ He asked, grinning widely. "I heard you put Rufio in his place.” The boy laughed. “He deserved it too. I’m Thaddeus by the way." 

Adi returned his smile and introduced herself. "So where’d you learn to fight? Most the boys here have to be taught or try to teach themselves.” Thaddeus asked.  

“Well,” Adi began slowly, unsure of how to explain. She didn’t know how the other boys felt about the pirates. Still, she couldn’t lie about it, they’d probably find out soon enough. “I came here with some pirates. They taught me.” She replied. Her chest tightened as she thought of Sebastian, and all his patient lessons. 

 "Oh right I heard about that.“ Thaddeus nodded. "What do the pirates want here?” He asked. She saw Claude lean forward out of the corner of her eye. Again,

 Adi hesitated. Pan already knew, but how much would he disclose to the other boys? Adi shrugged nonchalantly. “I was only traveling with them for money. I didn’t even know we were going to Neverland. The captain was very secretive about his motives.” She hadn’t lied, necessarily. She hadn’t known about Neverland, and Hook had kept his reasons for going to Neverland quiet until they arrived. 

Thaddeus nodded, accepting her answer, and Claude leaned back, showing that he too was satisfied. “So you know your way around a sword. Do you have any other weapons skills?” Thaddeus asked.  

“No, we never had much need for it on the ship. What’s your weapon of choice?” She asked. 

 Thaddeus smiled. “The bow and arrow." 

 "He’s one of our best archers.” Claude spoke up. Thaddeus laughed, but Adi could tell he was proud of his skills.

  "I’d like to see that.“ Adi admonished. 

 "Sure. I could start teaching you archery, if you’d like.”

 "Sounds great.“ She replied, and smiled. A few of the boys began passing hunks of meat on sticks and began roasting them on the fire.  "What is it?” She asked, taking a stick from Claude. 

 "Rabbit.“ He replied. They leaned their sticks forward, letting the flames dance around the meat. "What about you Claude? What do you fight with?” Adi asked. “Is it just the sword?" 

Claude glanced at her, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Would it startle you to know I’ve been training with the sword for years, and yet you still beat me?”

 Adi laughed, but answered “Don’t feel too bad, you did manage to break my wrist.” “What?” Claude asked sharply his eyes dropping to her wrists. 

 "It’s okay, Pan fixed it up.“  Claude looked surprised, but before he could comment about Pan’s generosity, Thaddeus interrupted.

 "Speaking of Pan, where did you and him run off to this afternoon?” Thaddeus asked.

 "On a scouting mission. We went to check in on the pirates.“ Adi replied, pulling her stick out of the fire. The meat was slightly blackened on the outside, but still looked tasty. She carefully pulled it off of its roaster, and took a bite. It was burning hot, but tender and juicy. Adi had never eaten anything so delicious in her life. She and Lana had never been able to hunt, and certainly couldn’t afford any meats from the butcher. She began wolfing it down hungrily. It was gone in seconds. Claude called for more meat, which Felix passed down. Adi skewered her share and eagerly stuck it into the fire. Maybe this place wasn’t so bad. It certainly had its perks.   
They sat, talking and laughing and eating their fill as the night wore on and the stars began to appear. Adi was laughing at a crude joke Thaddeus had told when Pan stood up. He surveyed the circle  of boys for a minute, and said "Tonight, boys, we celebrate a new Lost Boy!” The boys began to whoop and shout their praises, and then Pan raised his flute and began to play, suddenly quieting them.   
As if in a trance, the boys began to stand up, hollering as they danced and twisted around the circle together. Adi watched them flicker among the flames, and wanted to laugh. They called that dancing?  

 "Can you not hear it?“ Felix asked, coming to sit beside her. 

 "No.” Adi replied, puzzled.

 Felix studied her, and then explained  "The only children who can hear it are ones who are lonely, lost. Who felt unloved, unwanted, before Pan came to save them.“  

"I don’t understand?” Adi said, still confused. "What do they have to feel lonely about?“

 Felix looked away. "It’s not important.” He replied.

 Adi sighed and stood up. “I don’t know why I bother. You’re always so cryptic.” She began to walk away from the fire.

 "Where are you going?“ Felix demanded, following after her. 

 "To get water. I’m thirsty.” Adi called back.  She really didn’t feel like celebrating that she was a Lost Boy now. 

 "Right. And do you even know where the closest water source is?“ Felix asked, falling in step with her. 

Adi hesitated. "The river?” She asked. Felix snorted. “Try the stream. It’s just southeast of camp. Come on.” Felix began to lead the way, using his longer legs to outpace Adi.  They walked through the dark woods, shoving branches and leaves out of the way as they went. 

 "So,“ Adi began. "Why are you so faithful to Pan? What do you owe him?” She asked. 

 Felix sighed, annoyed. “That’s not your business.” He replied.  "Of course not.“ Adi rolled her eyes. "I suppose there’s no chance of us being friends then?” She asked teasingly. 

 "A secret for a secret.“ Felix answered. "You want to know so much about me, tell me something about you." 

 Adi laughed. "Alright fair enough, keep your past to you. But we can still be friends.” It was clear that Felix trusted Pan, and vise versa. She had to get Felix to trust her as well as Pan. If the other boys disliked her that was fine, but Pan relied on Felix. If Felix suspected her, then Pan would be distrustful too. She needed both the king and his leader of the guard to accept her as an ally.

“Friends.” Felix smirked, as if such an idea was ridiculous. They arrived at the stream. Adi dipped her drinking canteen into the running water, filling it up. 

 "Argue all you like, but you saved me a trek out to the river. I owe you one.“ She said, looking up at Felix with a grin. And after a moment, he returned it. 

They strode back into camp to find that the boys had disbanded. The fire was dying out, and Pan was alone, sitting on a log, turning his flute over in his hands. He looked up as they walked into camp. "You’re back.” He said. 

 "We went to get water.“ Adi explained.

 Pan looked between them, his eyes clouded. "Fine then.” He sighed. “Miles and Devin are on the night watch.” He looked over at Felix. “See to it that he gets settled.” He said, referring to Adi. And without another word, Pan walked to his tent. 

“I suppose that’s the closest to a goodnight kiss we’ll get then.” Adi joked, and Felix laughed in spite of himself. He nudged her shoulder, indicating for her to follow him. Felix led the way to one of the large tents where the boys slept. Inside was  several boys all curled up on cots that were held up a few inches off the ground. The boys were wrapped tightly under blankets and in woven sleeping bags. Felix gestured to a spot near the side, where a bundle of blankets and a coarse pillow were resting on the rough canvas cot.

 She nodded and carefully moved to her spot, and Felix followed behind her. She set her pack next to her sleeping area, and took off her sword. She held it against her chest and  crawled under the covers, keeping her hand on the sword. She was just being cautious.  She ran her hand along the blankets and smirked at the terrible patchwork. Felix settled into his spot beside her.  She lay her head down, and closed her eyes, quietly processing all that had happened that day. And what a day it was. Her first day in a new realm.

 As she lay there contemplating, a sound made her jump, and she sat up sharply, her hand on her sword, before she registered what it was. Crying. One of the boys was crying. She looked around at them, but in the dark she couldn’t tell which one it was. She lay back down, and saw Felix watching her.  She rolled away from him, facing the wall of the tent. As she listened, she heard more boys begin to weep as well. And for a moment, she felt silent tears of her own fall down her face. 

  


 

 


	4. Chapter Four

The next few weeks were spent training. Adi, as always, was hard working. She began learning archery from Thaddeus. It was clear why Thaddeus had chosen the bow over the heavier, blunt objects the other boys leaned towards, like the swords and clubs or even the crossbow. Archery didn’t rely on brute strength in order to be effective, which was also why Adi was drawn to it, and the bow and arrow was lighter than a crossbow. It took time, but the more she practiced the more she got used to the feel of the feathers against her fingers, the way the string of the bow rested on her cheek. She moved closer to the bulls eye every day.

She was a decent enough shot that she was now sent on hunting parties with the other boys. They mostly hunted for sport, but occasionally would roast some of their catches.

Today she was out with Felix and Rufio. Rufio was a skilled tracker and trapper, and had a set of snares that he lay in the woods.

They had been marching through the dense growth of the forest, making their way through the snares that had been set strategically in a large circle around the camp, so that they could start at any point and still end up back at camp when they were done.

Adi was tentative as she followed behind Felix, with Rufio coming up at the end. Rufio had recently redone his snares with new “improvements” as Pan called them. They were hidden better and were designed to catch not only animals, but humans. Pan thought it would be awfully fun to catch a pirate.

Nevertheless, Adi wasn’t sure she remembered all the places Rufio had placed these traps. Felix of course, knew the trail perfectly. He lead the way, looking for the traps, and Rufio stayed in the back to reset them once they collected their catch. That didn’t however mean he was in any way happy about being last in the line.

“Would you hurry up?” Rufio demanded impatiently from behind her. Adi was being careful to follow in Felix’s exact steps, and she suspected he noticed her shadowing him so perfectly. As such, subconsciously his movements had slowed.

“Shut up.” Felix snapped back tiredly, but he did pick up his pace. They made their way down the track, picking up the small animals that had been caught.

As they were untangling a particularly gruesome catch, in which was a large bird that had been caught by the neck, Rufio asked an odd question.

“Adi, you’re from the Enchanted Forest right?”

Adi hesitated. She suspected he already knew the answer. Her silence didn’t slow him down at all.

“You see, because I was just wondering, if you ever fought in that war Claude told us about.” He continued.

“What?” She asked sharply.

“Yeah, see, Claude said there was this big war happening in the Enchanted Forest, and he was ordered to fight in it. And he did, that’s where he got his sword training. But he hated it. Said the war had taken both his parents from him, and he hated being apart of it. So Pan rescued him. Brought him here. And I just wondered if you’d ever been part of it.” Rufio got into her face in a very obnoxious manner.

Adi leaned back on her heels.

“No,” she replied, a bit testily. “I was never one for bloody battles.” Adi replied. The truth of it was, she hadn’t been drafted into the war because of her medicinal knowledge from Lana. Though limited, the soldiers did recognize that she had saved a few lives during the war, and they were hesitant to send her or her sister to die. Rather than draft them, they used both the sisters to care for the injured naval officers that would dock in the village.

“Lost Boys don’t run away from blood.” Rufio challenged.

“But that doesn’t mean spilling it carelessly either.” Adi shot back. “Imagine if we went into war. I doubt Pan would take kindly to us getting half of his Lost Boys killed.”

“You think we would be wiped out?” Felix demanded as he paused by one of the hidden snares.

“No.” Adi replied honestly. “Even if the opposing army outnumber us and have large men instead of boys, with Pan’s magic we could decimate anyone.”

“What if we didn’t have Pan?” Felix asked. “If it were just the Lost Boys against this army, who do you think would win?”

Adi tipped her head to the side thoughtfully. “It would depend on numbers and fighting power.” She said. “ I know the boys are good fighters and hunters, but it would be hard to compare them with such biased information.I’d ned to know more about our enemy.” She concluded.

Rufio snorted from behind them. “That’s just your way of avoiding the question.” He said.

“No, it’s called paying attention.” Adi snapped back. “You don’t rush into a battle blindly. That’s how you end up being the first one killed.”

Rufio scoffed again.

“That’s why those who are competent and can plan battle strategy get to lead, while the foot soldiers are sent to die. They’re nothing more than pawns.” She snapped, her eyes flashing.

“Shut up both of you.” Felix sighed. He tossed the animal they had caught at Rufio.

“You can carry this back.” He ordered.

They finished up the snare trail, picking up two rabbits as well. On their way back they stopped by the lake and spent the afternoon snagging water fowls. Adi was pleased with the three birds she’d shot with her arrows. With their fair amount of game, they made their way back to camp.

They deposited their catches by the cooking area, where the other boys would skin and clean the meat for the evening meal.

Adi looked up at the sky. They still had a few hours of daylight left. She made her way over to the archery range and began practicing. She had been working for the better part of two hours when she was interrupted.

“Is that all you ever do?” Thaddeus’s voice carried over to her as she released an arrow.

“Practice?” Adi asked as the arrow sank into the target, about three inches to the left of the bulls eye. “Yes.” She huffed with irritation. “That’s the only way I’m ever going to be able to hit that damn target.”

“Oh let up.” Thaddeus laughed. “Come on, supper’s almost ready.”

Adi sighed but obliged, setting her quiver and bows down and following him back to the center of the camp.

Dusk had begun to settle in, and the warm smell of cooking meat wafted in the air. Adi breathed in deeply. No matter how many times she sat around the fire for dinner, she would never get used to the delicious smells.

Thaddeus and Adi circled around the fire Felix was stoking, where a spit had been fashioned to cook the meat.

“Hungry?” Felix asked them without looking up.

“Starving.” Adi replied, sitting down next to him. “How much longer?” She asked.

“Ready.” He replied, pulling the meat out of the fire. The night’s meal was passed around the group, and Adi happily sank her teeth into her share.

They also passed around bread rolls, and later piles of cake. Adi sighed with pleasure as she ate. So long as they could imagine it, no food was beyond their reach. She would miss that.

Night fell, and they retired to their tents without a pipe concert that night. Adi scrunched herself up under her blankets, trying to fall asleep quickly before the crying began. Every night, without fail, all the boys wailed. Adi had since learned what it was that tortured them each night. As much fun they had playing games all day, when night came, their was nothing to distract them from how much they missed their families, their friends, their old lives. She tried to fall asleep before they started, because once they began, she could never close her eyes. She could never drown them out. And she never slept.

 

This night was one of those nights. She didn’t drift off quickly enough and the boys’ cries began to fill the air. Hour after hour passed, and Adi couldn’t take it anymore. She crawled out from under her blankets, and made her way out into the night air. She went behind the tent, to her most recent project, a bed hammock that she was making out of bamboo and rope. She’d started it on her second night in camp. She couldn’t stand being in the same tent with the weepers, so she began working on separate sleeping arrangements. It was nearly done, she just needed to finish the knots that would hold the netting to the bamboo, and all that was left after that was to hoist it into a tree.

The cries echoed through the entire island, but at least they were more stifled compared to being inside the tent. Adi rubbed her arms, hugging herself tightly. She looked around the camp, and up to the usual watching tree, where she saw two figures, arrows poised, ready to fire. She waved lazily up at them, making sure they saw her. She began walking north, out of camp. She knew of course, that no matter how far she walked, she’d never get the sounds out of her head.

 

She made it to the series of cliff sides that weren’t too far from the camp. She looked up at them, and although they weren’t the same cliffs that it had happened on, she couldn’t help but think about Sebastian’s death. She tipped her head back a little farther, and looked up at the dark sky. She wanted a better view of the midnight welkin. As she picked her way up the cliff, she remembered when she and Lana used to race up the cliff sides by the sea with the other children back home. A faint smile dawned on her face at the memory.

She reached the top of the cliff, slightly muddy, and dusted herself off. From here, she could see the stars clearly, and if she looked out, she could see where she knew the camp should be, but it was concealed by Pan’s magic. Only those who were invited in by Pan could find it. Anyone could spend a century hunting for the camp if they were so inclined, and they’d never find it.

“What’re you doing?” A sudden voice made her jump.

“You have a bad habit of doing that you know.” Adi replied, turning to look at Pan. “Vanishing and reappearing, sneaking up on people.” She snorted.

Pan smirked. “Have you ever wanted to learn magic?” He asked.

Adi sat down, looking out at the view. “No,” she said thoughtfully. “Magic can be good.” She began carefully, “but it’s so often used for bad. I don’t need that kind of temptation.” She answered honestly.

Pan snickered. “So what does tempt you? Food? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you more motivated than when a buffet was the prize.” He joked. “What could tempt you more than that?” 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Adi rolled her eyes. Quick to change the subject, she asked “ Hey, if the camp is cloaked with magic, then why do you have sentries guarding it?”

Pan shrugged and sat down beside her. “Part of it makes the boys feel like real renegades, especially with the pirates lurking about now. Part of it is just good planning. Never be too careful with your weak points.”

Adi blinked, surprised. “You’re…you’re right.” She replied.

She looked at him, and said with a teasing smile, “You know you’re not as stupid as you look.”

“And you’re not as charming as you look.” Pan replied, smirking.

Adi laughed, but it felt hollow. The boys crying still echoed around her.

Pan noticed. “Why do you hide so much?” He asked.

“What because you’re so trustworthy?” Adi tried to laugh his comment off.

“Have I ever done something to make you not trust me?” He sounded genuinely offended.

“How about the time you killed Sebastian?” She challenged, feeling the bite in her voice. Had he forgotten so easily?

“Still bitter about that are we?” Pan’s voice was growing testy too.

Adi shook her head. “You just don’t understand do you?”

She stood up and walked a few paces away from him.

“You’ve never had friends, ever, have you?” She snapped. “You’ve never had anyone to care about. We’re all just possessions, pawns to you. You wouldn’t care if one of us were murdered. You would just be angry that you lost something that belongs to you.” She was practically shaking. “He was my friend, and you killed him over stubborn pride.” She spat.

“And what you want revenge?” Pan hissed.

“No!” She shouted. “And that’s the worst part isn’t it?” She snapped. “You know, that I can’t do a single damn thing to honor him, because you are my only chance of going home.”

Pan’s eyes flashed. “And there it is again. Going home. That’s always your end game isn’t it? And yet, you’ve neglected to mention even once why that is. And listening to it over and over has made me quite curious. And I’m sick of the lies.” His voice was almost menacing now. He took several steps toward Adi, and placed his fingers on her temple. “Let’s have a look at what you’re hiding.”

 

Suddenly memories flooded through her head. Memories of her childhood. Her parents deaths. Lana, holding her when she cried. The two of them dancing in their small hovel, their dress skirts flaring out with wide spins. Adi’s long, wild hair flying about. And it suddenly ended with a snap.

 

Pan was backing away from her like she was a rabid wolf that had struck at him. His eyes were narrowed with confused fury.

“You’re…you’re…?” He seemed to be grasping for the words. He waved his hand, and Adi caught a glimpse of the glowing light of magic. She flinched away, wondering what sort of pain he would inflict on her. But there was no pain. She opened her eyes, and didn’t notice that anything had happened.

She looked down at her boots. No weird fish tails or something like that. What had he done?

 

A stray hair fell into her face. She froze, and watched, shocked, as the long tendril of black hair fell in front of her eyes. He’d given her back her old hair. Before she’d cut it.

She looked back up at Pan.

 

_“You’re a girl.”_

 

Adi had often prided herself on her bravery. She was not one who was so easily frightened. And yet, the venomous look in Pan’s eyes made her back up in terror. And she slipped right off the awaiting cliff.


	5. Chapter Five

 

She was falling. The simple thought registered in her mind, but it didn't seem real. She felt her long hair whipping around and hitting her face. He knew. He knew her most guarded secrets. He knew about Lana. 

_He knew about Lana._

She remembered holding his eyes as she slipped. She saw his gaze. He didn't care if she fell. He was going to let her die. Of course he would.She saw the ground approaching fast. She was going to die. What a strangely euphoric feeling. 

Suddenly something grabbed her wrist. She twisted to see what, or who, it was, but her hair got in the way. Pan?  Her brain was trying to grasp at a thought, to register something about whatever was holding her, but her mind was just a jumbled mess of adrenaline and fear.

Her other wrist was grabbed, and she stopped falling. As she slowed, her hair fell out of her face and she looked up at her rescuer. 

It wasn't Pan. It...it was strange. It was a solid shadow. It's eyes glowed white. It's black hands gripped her, but it didn't feel right. It wasn't human. It didn't feel human. It was dark and cold and tingled with magic. The shadow lifted her up, away from the ground and through the air. 

She held tightly to the shadow's hand, and as she flew back up the cliff side, she saw Pan still standing there, and he looked at her as she was whisked away. His eyes were darker and colder than the shadow that carried her. 

 

     *******************************

 

"Let me go!" Adi shrieked. Once the shock had worn off, she quickly realized she was being taken somewhere by this shadowy demon. She twisted and struggled, but the shadow's grasp was unbreakable. 

They drifted over the ocean, and Adi realized that they were going lower. They were moving to a rocky skull shaped cave. They went through the left eye socket and the shadow promptly dropped her to the ground. 

 

She hit the rocks hard, and fell on her side. "Ow!" She shouted, and glared at the shadow spitefully. She looked at her elbow, where a scrape began to bleed. 

"You saved me just to draw the blood yourself then?" She snapped. The shadow stared back at her unblinkingly. 

 "Where are we?" She asked, looking around the cave. It was made of a yellowish rock, and in the center, was a massive, beautifully crafted hourglass, with glowing, golden sand slowly drifted down to the bottom. She went over to the ornate, intricate structure. She pressed her hand to the glass. 

 "What is this?" She breathed. The glass radiated with the strength of magic.

The shadow came to float beside her. Adi immediately backed away. It may have saved her life but that didn't mean she trusted it. 

  It followed her, and held its hand out. Adi stared at its outstretched hand, and eyed it warily. She looked back up at its glowing, unblinking eyes, and though it's face was expressionless, it almost seemed expectant. 

 

Hesitantly, she reached forward and took its hand. The shadow suddenly lunged forward, still tightly gripping her hand, and used its other to place two fingers on her forehead. Immediate darkness flooded her mind and she collapsed to the ground. 

 

     *******************************

 

Pan followed after the shadow that carried Adi, and a faint twinge of fear struck him as he saw them head for Skull Rock. 

He flew down into the cave, just in time to see Adi's feet give out under her. Her head hit the hard rocks with a thud. The shadow pulled away from her, as if sensing Pan, and floated off to the side.

 

Pan landed on the rocky ground next to Adi's body and knelt by her. 

"What did you do?" He asked the shadow. It didn't reply. 

 "Why did you bring her here? Why did you save her?" He demanded. 

 "She's important." The shadow replied in its cold, unnerving voice. 

"In what way?" Pan scoffed. He looked down at Adi. Her long black hair was sprawled out around her head, creating a wreath of obsidian, contrasting with the golden rocks of the cave. 

 "She must stay alive." The shadow insisted. 

 "What did you do to her?" Pan asked again, not taking his eyes off of her unconscious form. 

 "She'll awake." The shadow promised. 

As if on cue, Adi opened her eyes with a gasp. She looked up, and saw Pan leaning over her. 

She immediately tensed. "Pan." She swallowed thickly. 

 "What happened?" He said, falling back to let her sit up. 

 "The...that shadow took me here." She said, looking around for the creature. It had disappeared. 

 "Yes, it would seem its taken a liking to you." Pan replied dryly.

 "So it's...it's not something of yours?" She asked.

Pan looked away, out to the stars that could be seen from the opening in the formations of the rocky eye sockets. 

 "It's a long story." He answered, and he turned back to look at her, his cold eyes glaring into her soul. "One that I'm not inclined to share with a liar." He snapped cruelly. 

 "I never lied." She replied  tersely. "You just assumed." 

 "So your name is really Adam then?" He shot back. 

 Adi bit her lip. "No." She answered. "But Adi is. I've been called that since I was small." She explained. 

 "Oh yes, I know." He replied darkly. "I see why you wanted to go home. You're precious sister." He spat. 

 "She's my family." Adi replied defensively. 

 "And yet you abandoned her." He challenged. 

 "No!" Adi cried. "I left to try and save her life. We were starving, there was no way for both of us to survive winter on her wages-"

 "Filthy excuses." Pan laughed cruelly. "You just wanted to escape." 

 "Don't pretend to know me." Adi hissed. "You may have gone pawing through my head, but that doesn't mean you know everything." 

 "Quite the contrary." Pan replied lightly. "I probably know you better than anyone in the world now, even you. I've seen your true thoughts and feelings, your insecurities and weaknesses." 

 "You got all that from one glance?" She gave a dry laugh. She lifted her chin up. She'd let him intimidate her once. Not again. 

"If there's anything I'm curious about I can always go back and look." He replied. 

 "Please don't." Adi replied flatly, rubbing her forehead. "I've already got a killer headache from whatever that shadow did to me." She grumbled. 

 "You don't know what it did?" Pan asked, lurching forward. 

 "No, I mean..." Adi paused, and closed her eyes, trying to recall. "I remember I fell off the cliff, and then the shadow saved me. Then it kidnapped me and brought me here. It...it touched my head..." she pressed her fingers against the spot. 

 "And...and everything went dark." She furrowed her brow. "There's something, something there, I just can't remember it. "

"Concentrate." Pan ordered. 

Adi growled in reply, but did try to focus in on the vague image that was slowly forming in her head. And the words...she heard a voice too...what had it said? 

Suddenly her eyes opened with a snap. "I remember." She said quickly, turning to face Pan. "The shadow showed me a boy." She explained. "He's...he's yours." She said slowly. "Not necessarily like son or anything," she went on quickly, "but there's a blood bond between you."  She tipped her head, puzzled. "The shadow said he's what you've been searching for." She went on. "What does that mean?" 

  "This boy," Pan demanded, " How old is he?" 

 "I don't know." Adi replied. "He looked younger than me." 

"Let me see." Pan said adamantly, and reached forward to touch her temples. 

Adi leaned away from him. He glared at her. "I will take your memories by force if I have to, now quit being stubborn." He held her gaze for a minute, and then he sighed. "I promise I'll only look for the vision the shadow showed you." He looked at her expectantly, and after a pause, Adi tentatively shifted forward so he could enter her memories again. 

This time was different. She could feel Pan sifting through her thoughts, starting from when she fell to when the shadow kidnapped her. 

 Pan hummed out a note, and he sounded as if he were almost entertained. Adi opened her eyes and glared at him, but he kept his eyes closed. He watched as she was dropped onto the rocks, she touched the hourglass, and then when the shadow touched her forehead, and the sudden darkness. 

 "Ow!" Adi shrieked. It was like he had shocked her. Pan let go of her head with a snap.

 "I can't see him." He said, almost dumbfounded. "The shadows locked your memories away from me, from anyone." Now he sounded angry. 

Adi barked out a hollow laugh. "The great Peter Pan, is defeated by a shadow." She joked. 

 Pan's vicious eyes turned to meet hers. "Laugh all you like, but until I know more about this boy, you're not leaving the island." He snapped. 

 Adi stopped laughing, and, realizing he was serious, sighed. "Well, I don't know what to tell you Pan." She stood up, and stretched out her back. "You're related to him by blood. Can't you track him that way?" She asked.

 Pan looked down, like he was thinking hard. " I have an idea of who this boy is." He said slowly. "But until it's confirmed, you're not going anywhere." He answered.

"How will you confirm it?" She asked hoarsely. 

 "I have some ideas." Pan replied. 

Adi rolled her eyes. 

 "Ow." She pressed her fingers against her throbbing forehead. "How do we get off of this rock?" She asked, holding her hand out to Pan. 

He took it, and she pulled him up. "Hold on a second." Pan said, and his trademark wicked grin reappeared. 

 "There's something we have to do first." Pan waved his hands, and they disappeared into a green smoke. 

 

Adi wondered briefly how he could get so used to teleporting. She felt like she was going to be sick from all this tossing and turning. Her feet landed on something solid. She looked down at her boots, and realized she was standing on wood. She looked up. She was on the pirates deck. 

Suddenly Pan shoved her hard, and she tumbled to the ground. The pirates began to gather around them to see what was happening. 

 "A girl?" he hissed at them. "You sent me a girl?!" 

 "Stop it!" Adi cried. "They didn't know!" 

 "What's going on here?" Hook came striding forward, pushing the men out of the way. He quickly surveyed the situation, and hurried to pull Adi to her feet. 

 "You alright lass?" he asked her quietly. 

 "I'm fine." She growled, shoving out of his grasp. 

 She turned to look back at Pan. "Don't be angry with them. They didn't know either." she said impatiently. 

 "Really?" Pan said, although he didn't sound even remotely surprised. "I wonder why our good captain here is still so protective." he tipped his head obnoxiously. "He seems to be taking this litttle betrayal in stride." Pan's eyes were wild. 

  He lunged forward, and pressed his fingers to Hook's temple. "Oh, would you look at that." Pan laughed cruelly. "He did know!" Pan's frightening smirk bore down on both him and Adi. "You actively deceived me, dear captain." Pan said. "I'm hurt." He was mocking them. "I saved your brothers life, and you betray me with secrets." Pan sighed sadly. " I guess you really can't trust a pirate." 

"What is it you want?" Hook demanded. Adi rolled her eyes. His bravery was sometimes mixed up with stupidity. 

"Oh, I couldn't tell you that." Pan grinned. "That would spoil the game!" He grabbed Adi's wrist and tugged her forward. "You better learn the rules quick Killian." Pan's eyes danced. He glanced down at Adi, his grip on her wrist tightening, and then smirked back at Hook. 

Adi opened her mouth to snap at Pan, but didn't get to say a word, because he had teleported them away. 

They arrived into camp with a quiet thump. 

 "What the hell Pan!" Adi cried angrily. 

"Oh stop it." Pan snorted. "You've got bigger things to worry about. Like how you're going to explain your little secret to the Lost Boys." he nodded to the tents where the boys were sleeping now, but would surely awaken soon. Dawn couldn't be that far away. 

She looked up to the guards, and saw them sliding out of the trees. It was Thaddeus and Miles, another archer she had trained with occasionally. They both strode over to her, and Adi instinctively reached for her sword, and realized in terror that it was still sitting in her tent. 

Thaddeus's brow was furrowed, as he got closer to her, his expression cleared to surprise. 

 "Adi?" He asked, puzzled. "What...?" 

 "What happened?" Miles demanded. 

 "It would seem," Pan spoke up, "that our  _friend_  Adi here, hasn't exactly been honest with us." 

Adi wanted to punch his teeth out. She hated how much he was enjoying this. 

 "Go on, tell them. They deserve the truth don't they?" He taunted. 

 "Shut  _up_ Peter." She spat. He _hated_ it when they called him Peter. Though she didn't look at him, she could feel his glare burning her skin. 

 She held her chin up and looked both Thaddeus and Miles in the eye. 

 "Yes, I'm a girl. So what?" She snapped defensively,crossing her arms.

 "You... you... what?" Miles turned to Pan, looking for an explanation. 

 "I hid my gender to sneak aboard the pirate ship, and decided to do the same here." Adi continued. 

 "Adi?" Thaddeus's voice was hurt. 

 "Is that even your name?" Miles challenged. 

 "Yes, my name is Adi. No, Adam isn't my full name, but I've been Adi since I was a child." 

 "What is your full name?" Thaddeus asked.

 _What an odd thing to focus on._ Adi thought briefly before telling him.

 

 "Were you ever planning on telling us the truth?" Thaddeus asked. 

She hesitated, but answered honestly. "No." 

Thaddeus scoffed and walked a few paces away. 

Miles looked almost disgusted. "We shared a _tent!"_ He cried. 

"Oh get over yourself." Adi rolled her eyes. 

A boy's head popped out from one of the tents. Adi swallowed thickly. It was Felix. 

 

He strode over to them with his lanky legs, and his expression mimicked Thaddeus and Miles when they first realized the truth. 

She glanced sideways at Pan, who had the widest smirk she'd ever seen on a person.    

 

"What is this?" Felix questioned. And so the story was retold. By this point a few more of the boys had found there way to the circle, and tittering whispers echoed back and forth between them. 

 "She's a filthy liar!" One of the boys shouted. 

 "Banish her!" Another one howled. 

"Kill her!" That one came from Rufio. 

 

Adi straightened, and stared him down. Though  defenseless, she would not dare let him frighten her. "Girl or not, I can still kick your ass." She hissed at him. Adi stuck out her jaw and called out to the crowd, "How many of you can honestly say they've never hidden something from their past?" She challenged. "Was it my gender that determines how well I can fight? Was it because I pretended to be a boy that made it so I can shoot an arrow, or take on any of you in a sword fight?" Her eyes flashed angrily, daring any of them to argue against her words. "Do you think me being a girl means that I was never myself in this camp? My gender changes nothing about me or how I act. I can assure you," her eyes fell to Thaddeus, who looked back with a pained expression. " that I am still the same person who shared laughs around the fire, and who happily jumped into mud pits and hiked all across this island with you. I am a Lost Boy, in the end." She pleaded with Thaddeus to understand. She was still his friend. 

"Lost Boys aren't liars." Felix said testily. He looked to Pan. "What should we do with her?"

Pan smiled. "I can think of no better punishment than have her stuck her forever." He replied. "You see, Adi has a precious sister she's been striving to get home to." He turned so that he was facing her directly. "And now it will haunt her forever that she will never see her again." His venomous grin lurked down on her, and Adi felt like stones were falling into her stomach. She looked up at him, and felt like she would be sick. 

 "I have something you want." She said in a strangled voice, and swallowed thickly to keep it even. 

 Pan cocked his head to the side, his eyebrows tilting upward. "Oh? And what's that?" He laughed. 

 

 "That boy." She replied. She tapped her head. "I know what he looks like. I can draw him." She said. 

 

Pan's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, and he leaned back on his heels, considering this new deal.  "It's a start." He said finally. "No promises." He smiled down at her. "Best not waste this chance." 

She glared at him, wanting nothing more to strike him across the face. She glanced back at the boys, who were looking at the two of them whispering to each other 

"What do you want to tell them?" She said in low tones, nodding to the Lost Boys. 

 Pan smirked.  "Need me to protect you?" He taunted.

"No you idiot, I mean do they know about the shadow?" She hissed back. 

Pan's face tightened. "Not exactly." He replied quietly. 

Adi rolled her eyes. "I'll keep quiet then. I'll have your drawing done soon." She glanced at the boys. "I think it's best if I don't stay in camp." She held up her chin to the boys, refusing to show fear. Without a word to them, she walked to her tent. She threw the flap open , and saw a few of the boys still asleep. She recognized Devin as one of them, and then Claude not too far away. She bit her lip, feeling a bit guilty that he wouldn't be able to hear the story from her directly.  She quietly gathered up her pack and her weapons, before leaving. She threw her quiver over her shoulder carelessly, and strapped on her sheathe around her waist. She looked at the boys, who all seemed to eyed her with disdain. 

 "I don't think you deserve those." Pan said lightly as she marched past him, out of camp. 

 "Shut up Peter." She replied crossly without stopping. 

She ended up heading south, to see the mouth of the smaller of the two rivers on the island. There was a lake at the opening of the river that fed the water down to the ocean. It was one of the most beautiful parts of Neverland. As she walked through the trees, it felt just like when she ran away from the pirates, desperate for a way back to the Enchanted Forest. No home, and uncertain allies.  

 She made it to the lake as the sun reached over the peaks of the mountain, and felt her stomach rumble, hoping for breakfast. She made her way to the shore of the lake, and pulled out her bow. She notched an arrow, and pointed it at the gentle waves, she sharp eyes surveying the water. 

Finally she caught sight of her prey. She released the arrow, which speared the fish and pinned it against the pebbles on the river bottom. 

She retrieved her meal and pulled her hunting knife from her boot and began expertly gutting the creature. She started a fire and got to roasting her breakfast. 

 

She took her time picking the fish apart, pulling out all the tiny little bones. She was just finishing up her scraps when Pan showed up. 

"You're supposed to be working." He said, his tone a warning. 

 "You'll get your drawing." She sighed, throwing dirt onto her fire to quell the flames. "Are you always this impatient?" She wondered as she dumped the fish bones onto the ground.

 "You don't know what's at stake." He grumbled.

 "Maybe not to you," Adi said darkly. "But I can assure you, there will be no shortage of motivation from my part in this deal." 

"Deal?" Pan asked lightly. "I don't recall promising you anything." He sneered at her.

"Well like it or not, we're both out of options." With a huff, she sat down on the tall grass by the lake, and pulled out her small sketchbook. 

 

She closed her eyes and tried to remember the boy she had seen. His round face, his short, well groomed brown hair...

She dug in her bag for a piece of charcoal. Using her hunting knife, she sharpened it into a fine point, and began to carefully sketch the outline of the boy.

Pan came to sit on the rock just behind her. He leaned forward, watching her draw.   The sun drifted lazily across the sky as Adi created her artwork. The two of them sat in silence as she dragged the charcoal over the parchment. She paused, arched her back, and stretched. 

  "How long have you been an artist?" Pan asked, studying the partially finished portrait. 

 "Since I was small. My father would buy me the charcoal and parchment for my birthday. He told me I was always drawing in the dirt so he started to buy them for me every year. My mother was an artist, I think I was just trying to imitate her when I first started out. She was teaching me how to paint and draw portraits, and I came to realize that it wasn't just for my parents. I genuinely enjoyed it."

 "And your parents, they both-"

 "Yes." Adi cut him off. She leaned back to look at him, her back brushing against legs. "Don't you know all of this anyway? I thought you dug through my entire life." Her tone was cold. 

 "Not quite." He explained. "I saw specific memories, and I looked for specific aspects of your thoughts. But there are still many memories that are private to you." He said graciously, as if she should be happy he had the kindness to not take everything.

 Adi huffed angrily and turned away from him So he lied when he said he knew every part of her subconsciousness. She knew it was exactly what he wanted, but she couldn't help but feel relieved. She went back to her drawing. "What are you doing here anyway?" She asked testily. "Go play with your boys." 

 "I'm not letting you out of my sight until I get this sketch." Pan admonished.

Adi rolled her eyes. There was a pause, and an uncomfortable air settled between them. 

 "They must hate me." Adi said, breaking the silence. She kept her eyes downcast, avoiding Pan's steady gaze. 

 "They're reasonably upset." Pan said dryly. 

"I guessed as much." She said quietly. 

 

 "Are you sure that's right?" Pan said suddenly, leaning over her shoulder to inspect her drawing closer. 

 

 She tensed with how close he was, but answered him with a steady voice. "It's not finished, but yes, so far, it's accurate." 

 Without warning, Pan snatched the parchment from her hand, stood up, and stared at the scrap of paper.  

"Hey!" Adi protested, standing as well, but her sharp tongue was stopped when she saw Pan's face. He was studying the paper so intently. His eyes were so focused, unlike anything Adi had seen from him before.

 "Adi," He said, looking up at her, "Are you absolutely certain that this is the boy you saw in your vision?" He demanded. 

"Well, like I said, I haven't finished it, I still have almost half the portrait to complete-"

"That face shape is accurate?" He cut in. 

 "Yes..." Adi answered. She was confident in her drawing skills that she'd at least gotten the shape of his face right. He threw the drawing at her, which she barely managed to catch.

 "Come on." Pan said sharply, grabbing her wrist. 

 "Where are we going?" Adi asked, trying to pull away as he dragged her. 

 "Back to Skull Rock. You need to talk to the shadow. We need to know more."  

 "What?" Adi jerked her arm free. 

 "I am _not_ going back to that thing." 

 Pan turned around to face her, his expression thunderous. "You are in no position to make demands." He grabbed her arm again, this time so tightly it hurt. "Now be a good Lost Boy and obey your leader." He hissed. "You are of course, a Lost Boy in the end aren't you?" He asked teasingly. 

 "Here." Pan said impatiently, opening a vial from his pocket. He dumped its contents into his hand. It was a small pile of silvery powder.  In his hand, it began to glow a vibrant green. He moved closer to Adi, so close their chests almost touched. He looked up, and tossed the glowing powder over their heads. 

 "What is that?" She demanded, and to her dismay, they began to float upward. 

 "Pixie dust." He replied, his grip on her arm tightening as they moved past the treetops. 

  Adi grabbed onto his arm instinctively as they began to move faster toward the ocean. Pan glanced down at her with a smirk. 

  "Oh come on, this isn't your first time flying. Scared?" He taunted. 

  "I wouldn't put it past you to drop me on the rocks." She replied in a dry tone. 

Pan laughed, and Adi couldn't help but feel surprised. It was an almost...genuine laugh. 

 

 They soared over the island and out onto the sea, when the small structure came into view from beyond the mist. 

 

They flew into the cave and landed softly. 

 "Is this where the shadow lives?" Adi asked, looking around.

 

 "Not quite. He lives in Neverland. He is the entire island, it is as much apart of him as he is apart of it. But whenever I needed to meet him, he would always come here." Pan explained, his eyes fixed on the right eye socket, where the bright blue sky could still be seen. 

 

 "How long do you have to wait for him?" Adi asked, walking toward the hourglass. There was just something about it that she couldn't place. Her fingers ghosted across the smooth glass, feeling the energy the magic radiated through the clear surface. 

  "Don't touch that!" Pan cried, flying across the cave to snap her hand away. 

  "Why?" Adi looked at him quizzically. "What is it?" 

 "It's not something you need to worry about." Pan said, irked. "If it gets damaged, all of Neverland could be destroyed." He explained. 

 Adi looked back up at the golden instrument. "So it's like the heart of Neverland?" She asked. 

 "No. Not exactly." Pan replied. 

 "Cryptic answers." Adi sighed, and pulled her hand out of his grasp. She turned away from the hourglass and began to walk around aimlessly as they waited. 

 "Call to him."  Pan said.

 "What?" 

  "The shadow. If you want to see him then he will come." 

 Adi looked at him skeptically, but after a minute turned toward the opening in the cave. 

 "Shadow?" She called uncertainly. She glanced over at Pan, who waved his hand for her to continue. 

Feeling foolish, she yelled out again. "Shadow? Can you come to us?"

She paused, waiting for a response. Pan walked up behind her as a gust of wind came through the skull. Suddenly the shadow came flying in, and stopped dramatically, floating above them in perfect silence. 

  Adi looked over her shoulder at Pan, who looked back at her. They exchanged a look , before Pan raised his eyebrows expectantly at her. 

 She looked back at the looming shadow. "Um..." she said slowly, "We need to see more about that boy you showed me. Do you have anything else that you can tell me about him?" She asked. 

 

Wordlessly, the shadow held out its hand. _Great. This again._ Adi thought, recalling the wonderful head injury she'd gotten last time. She glanced back at Pan again, before sighing and reaching up to take the shadow's hand. Just as before, as soon as their fingers touched, the shadow surged forward and touched her forehead. And just like last time, she immediately fell unconscious. 

As her legs gave out from underneath her, Pan caught her deftly, and laid her down gently on the ground, her head resting in his lap. 

 

While Pan was absentmindedly moving stray locks out of her face, Adi was being swept up in a confusing black fog.

 

It was a strange sensation, almost like how dream felt. She could understand the images she was seeing, but no voice was speaking to explain it. It was just like as soon as she saw the image, she immediately understood what it meant. She tried to focus the dream on certain things, like names or places. 

 

She didn't see the boy this time. Instead, she saw his mother, a tall woman with long blonde hair. And her parents before her, a woman with dark black hair, not so unlike Adi's. A handsome man with short blonde hair. As she watched this family tree unfold, she understood what each of their significance was. The boy's father, a nice man with dark hair, and then his parents came swimming into view. Her stomach dropped. And then the face that now seem to haunt her, the boy whom Pan was so desperate to find. As she saw his face, a name became clear in her mind. 

 

And then it was gone with a snap and she awoke with a gasp. She tried to sit up but she felt groggy, and she had a searing headache that made it almost impossible to see. She cried out in pain. 

 

From somewhere far away she could hear Pan calling her name, calling to the Shadow, but it felt so faint, so distant. Her eyes were filled with black spots, so much so that she couldn't distinguish much, but she could just make out Pan's face looking down at her, his eyebrows furrowed. 

 "Peter?" She murmured. She could hear the shadow saying something, but her ears were ringing too much to hear what it was. She felt herself being lifted, and he head lolled to the side. She could barely make out the collar of Pan's shirt, millimeters from her nose, before she fell back into dizzying blackness. 


	6. Chapter Six

Adi awoke slowly, her body feeling stiff and uncomfortable. She tried to sit up and stretch, and immediately her head began to pound. A moan escaped her mouth as she pressed her fingers into her temple, trying to crush the pain. After a few moments the black spots that danced across her vision subsided, and her headache dulled to to unpleasant, but not unbearable, throb. She looked around, trying to figure out where she was. She was tucked into some blankets on a rustic bed with a wooden frame and patterned quilt. Looking down, she could see her boots, pack, and weapons all resting against the bed frame. Beyond that she could see that she was in a tent, and from the small space in the two flaps in the front, she could see that a long amount of time had passed. Night has fallen. Realizing how long she had been sleeping, her stomach growled. Moving slowly, she tried to get out of the bed. Her head screamed at her to stop.

 

  "What are you doing?" A humored voice said to her. She turned and saw Pan coming into the tent, tossing the flaps aside. 

 

  "I can't believe you're finally awake." He said with a smirk. "You've slept the whole day." 

 

  Adi groaned as she stretched out her back. "What was that?" She said in a hoarse voice. "That didn't happen last time." 

 

  "The longer you stay connected to the shadow to see your visions, the greater strain it puts on your human body, and therefore it's more painful." Pan explained, coming to sit on the foot of the bed. 

 

  "Well then I hope I got enough for you this time." Adi replied. She blinked a couple of times, trying to clear the last of the bleariness from her eyes. "Where are we?" She asked. 

 

  "Back at camp. This is my tent." Pan said. 

 

 "Oh." Was the only reply she could manage in her raspy tone.

 

  "I'll send Felix to get you some water. Then you can tell me about what you saw." Pan stood up and walked to the opening in the tent. He pushed the cloth aside and called out to Felix. After a moment, he came sauntering into the tent. 

  Adi looked up at him nervously. His eyes were cold. 

 

  "Go and fetch some water." Pan instructed. Adi's stomach growled again, and Pan laughed. "And something for her to eat." He added. 

 

 Felix looked at him, and Pan understood without Felix even saying anything. "I'll explain it all later. Go." He ordered.  Felix's eyes flickered back to Adi for a moment, before he nodded and left to do as Pan asked. 

 

 "I see they're still pleased with me." Adi joked weakly. 

 

 "Felix in particular wasn't fond of the idea of you coming back to camp." Pan admitted.  Adi managed a smile, but it made her sad. Though she would have never told any of them this, she had liked being a Lost Boy. She missed her friends. 

  

Felix returned with a canteen of water and a bowl of berries. He handed them both to Adi without even looking at her, but as he turned away, she touched his wrist with her finger. 

  He tensed up and pulled his hand away quickly. "I'm sorry." She whispered. 

 

Felix jerked his head and stalked out of the tent without so much as a glance. 

 

Adi sighed, and looked down at her food. She looked over at Pan, who had settled back onto the bed. 

 

 "You don't think he poisoned this do you?" She joked. Pan glanced at the berries, and smirked. 

 

 "Felix may be angry, but he wouldn't kill you if I told him not too." Pan replied. 

 

  "How reassuring."  Adi said sarcastically, an tossed a berry into her mouth. The sweet juice covered her tongue and she sighed. She hadn't realized just how hungry and thirsty she was. 

 

  "So what did you find out?" Pan asked. 

 

Adi sighed and swallowed her berries. "His name is Henry." She began. "He's the product of light and dark." She explained slowly. "His mother is the product of true love, while his father is the son of the Dark One." 

 

She remembered the face she had seen. "The boy's grandmother...his father's mother...I...I knew her." Adi looked at Pan. 

 "I mean, I never met her, but I saw pictures of her. In Hook's quarters on the ship, that was his lover... he said the Dark One killed her when he also took Hook's hand..." she shook her head, confused. "I don't understand. How is Hook involved in all this? And...if Milah, that woman,  had a child with the Dark One, their son can't be that old, I met Hook the same night Milah died, and in her portrait she doesn't look old enough to be a grandmother...not to mention Hook would never go for somebody that old..." She paused. "Then again...you know, with him, if he had enough rum in him..." 

 

"Adi." Pan cut in impatiently.

"Right, sorry." She laughed weakly, before drawing her focus to the odd puzzle that she was trying to peice together. "So...so Henry...he hasn't been born yet?" She looked back at Pan, searching desperately for help to interpret her vision. 

 

 Pan held her gaze, with a thoughtful expression. "Yes, that makes sense. Still, I need to look further into this. If this boy is meant to be born in the future, it is crucial to ensure that his parents meet and have him." Pan shifted closer to her. "What you saw is a possible future that could change at any time. I know enough about this boy's paternal family history." He smiled faintly, as if enjoying a personal joke. "What else do you know of his maternal side of the family?" 

 

Adi closed her eyes, trying to recall anything else. Her brain was still foggy, but the image of the pair, his grandparents came into focus. 

 

 "Think." Pan commanded. "Do you remember any names, places, when they were born?" 

 

 "I..." Adi's face scrunched up as she searched her memories. "I don't think so..." she felt Pan's fingers ghost across her face, coming to rest gently on her cheeks. 

 

 "Can you see what they look like?" He asked. 

 

  "Yes..." Adi saw them clearly in her mind. 

 

  "Describe them. Physical appearances, their clothes, any special items you can think of." Pan commanded. 

 

  "The boy's mother is blonde... her clothes are...odd." Adi began slowly. " she has a...a coat of some sort, but it's red, and it's material..." she focused closer but she was never good with different materials.  It didn't look like cloth. 

 

 "That's okay." Pan encouraged gently. "You don't recognize her clothing, that's enough information about the mother. What about his maternal grandparents?" 

 

 Slowly Henry's mother faded away with Pan's words, and her parents instead came into view. 

 

  "They're wearing...such fine clothing..." Adi began with a faint sigh. "Royalty." She murmured. "The woman has such dark hair...." 

 

She opened her eyes and looked at Pan. "I'm sorry, I can't get any names." She sighed. 

 

  "Fine." He said, and stood up. "I don't think we should send you back to the Shadow. Another encounter could kill you. Fortunately, I have a better idea." 

 

"What now?" Adi groaned, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

 

 "Don't worry, this one doesn't involve you."  Pan replied.  "I'm going to send my shadow to the Enchanted Forest." Pan explained. "The Dark One can see the future. Through him, I can find out when these people will be born using my shadow." 

 

 "Your shadow?" Adi asked. "I thought you said it was apart of the island.  It can travel realms?" 

 

 "No. There is the shadow that lives in the island, that lived here long before anyone ever lived on Neverland really, and then there is my personal shadow. I separated it from my body. My shadow will be the one to go to the Enchanted Forest, because I have command over it." Pan said. 

 

  "So there are two shadows? The one that shows me visions, and the one that you separated from yourself?"  

 

 "Yes. Good job." Pan said sarcastically. 

 

"Oh bite me."  Adi rolled her eyes and pulled her boots on.

 

 "Where do you think you're going?" Pan asked, watching her get to her feet, wobbling a bit. She still felt dizzy. 

 

 "Outside. There's no way the boys will go for me staying in camp." 

 

"Oh you think?" Pan laughed. "I think you aught to go out there and see for yourself." He gestured to the exit. 

 

 Adi tipped her head curiously, but Pan's smirk was taunting her. She grabbed her weapons, tossed her pack over her shoulder, and walked towards the tent flaps, but paused as she passed Pan.

 

Turning to face him, she asked "What's our story?" 

 

 "Story?" 

 

 "Yeah. Do the boys know about the visions and the shadow? Or did you tell them something else?" 

 

  "Oh." Pan said with understanding. "Don't tell them about the shadow. As far as they know, there's only one, mine. They don't know about Skull Rock or the hourglass, so keep your mouth shut about that too. Just tell them you went to the stream, slipped and hit your head." 

 

 "Okay, and what's the reasoning going to be for why you brought me back to camp?" Adi demanded. "They're not idiots Peter, they're going to wonder what brought on such a gesture of generosity. If you found me unconscious by the stream, they're going to wonder why you didn't just leave me to die." 

 

 "Is that really what you think would happen?" Pan asked with a smirk. 

 

 "Are you saying that if I didn't have some weird psychic link to the shadow, you would've just let me stroll causally out of camp this morning?" She  threw back. "They're not going to believe that you just forgave me out of the kindness of your heart." 

 

  "Aw, I'm wounded." Pan laughed. "That's twice now you've insulted my character." 

 

 "Am I wrong?" Adi challenged. 

 

 Pan rolled his eyes. "Fine." He sighed, almost bored. "Tell them that I kept you alive only so I could torture you longer with the pain of never seeing your beloved sister ever again." He said dramatically. 

 

  "Well that works for now, but I hope you have an idea for what story you're going to tell them when I do get home." Adi answered. "Speaking of which, when will that be?" She asked crossly. 

 

  "Finish the drawing, I still want to know what he looks like. Then we'll see what I find from Rumple, and then we can talk." Pan said, a tinge of a threat in his voice, daring her to protest.

 

 "Fine, whatever. I'm too tired to argue." She sighed, and headed out to the camp. Outside, she saw the boys huddled around the fire pit, their bodies only silhouettes. 

 

 "Adi!" One of them shouted, and she recognized Claude's voice. He jumped up and ran toward her. 

 

 She instinctively reached for her sword, uncertain of his approach. 

 

"You're okay!" Claude sounded relieved. 

 

 "Pan came in here, carrying you like a  sack of potatoes. We thought you were dead." He said, But he was grinning. 

 

 "You...you were worried about me?" She said, dumbfounded. "You're not angry?" 

 

  "Of course we were angry." Thaddeus spoke up, coming up to join them. 

 

 "But damn it Adi, you scared the hell out of us. You may have lied to us, but like you said, you’re still you. You’re still the friend we care about. And we kinda realized...you did what you had to. It wasn't that you didn't trust us, it was that you couldn't." Thaddeus looked down. "I mean...if any of us had any real hope of going home again, we probably would've cross dressed too." He looked back up at her, a sly grin coming onto his features. 

 

 Adi snorted. "As if any of you could be pretty enough to pass for a girl." She teased. 

 

 "Does that make you ugly enough to pass for a boy?" Rufio's obnoxious voice cut in as he also stalked over to join them. 

 

 "Oh you're just upset because I fooled you for so long." Adi replied in a sweet tone. 

 

 Rufio scoffed and kicked the dirt in annoyance. 

  "Girl or not, she's still wittier than you." Thaddeus said, clapping Rufio on the shoulder. 

 

"So what happens now?” Claude asked. 

 

 "Now?" Adi questioned. 

 

 "Yeah. Pan... he just brought you back here, despite that whole mess this morning and all that talk about not giving a shit about you. Are you going home?"  

 

 "I don't...I don't think so." Adi replied, looking back at Pan's tent. He came stalking out, and for a brief moment their eyes met. He looked past her and at Felix. He gestured for him to follow, and together they walked out into the forest. 

 

  "He's going out again?" Thaddeus remarked. Glancing at Adi, he added, "After he brought you back, he left for almost the whole day. Wouldn't tell us where he was going or what happened to you. Just told Felix to stay with you until he got back." 

 "Did Felix actually listen?" Adi asked, surprised. 

 

"Yeah. Didn't leave the tent until Pan came back." Thaddeus answered. 

 

 "Oh." Adi said softly. 

 

"So what did happen? After you left the camp this morning?" Claude questioned. 

 

 "Well..." Adi hesitated. She hated lying for Pan, especially after her friends had just forgiven her, for doing exactly what she was doing now. Lying. But what choice did she ahve?  "After I left, I went to the stream to get some water. While I was down there, I slipped." She continued to spin the tale Pan had laid out. 

 

Just as she knew he would, Rufio asked "Why didn't Pan just let you drown?"  

 

Adi laughed cruelly. "There's no way he'd let me go that easily." She looked down. "He hasn't finished ruining my life yet." 

 

 "Wonder where he's going now." Claude commented, looking toward the exit.

 

 "I have no idea, but frankly I don't care." Adi replied. She glanced over at the fire pit. "How...how are the other boys...you know...what's their attitude about me right now?" She asked. 

 

Thaddeus shrugged. "Indifferent mostly. I mean, once the initial shock wore off, i don't think most of them really cared all that much. Miles is still a little weirded out though." He smirked at the boy who kept sneaking looks at them. 

 

 "Do you think they would mind if I went to the fire?" She wondered. 

 

 "Since when did you care?" Thaddeus replied with a smile. She grinned back, and together the four of them went to sit around the flames. 

 Adi sat on the edge of a log, and her friends joined her. 

 

"Hungry?" Thaddeus asked, handing her a bowl of meaty stew. 

 

Though she had already eaten the bushel of berries Felix had brought her, she still gratefully took the stew and began eating with gusto.

 

As the night wore on, the boys slowly began making their way to their tents. Claude and Thaddeus looked at Adi uncomfortably. "Um...where are you going to stay?" Thaddeus asked. 

 

 Adi glanced back at the entrance to the camp. "I don't even know if Pan's going to let me stay in here." She replied honestly. "But until he comes back, I have an idea."  She began walking to where her makeshift bed still waited, unfinished.  "Help me tie these together." She called to her friends, and began the knot work. 

 

 Between the three of them, they made quick work of the hammock,  and Adi smiled. 

 

The three of them carried it back into the main grounds of camp, and began hoisting it up into a tree on the western side. 

 

 "There." She looked up at their accomplishment. "Thanks." She turned to the boys. "Now go get some rest. Pan probably won't be pleased with anyone who helps me." She nodded to their tent. After awkward smiles were changed, they parted ways. Adi climbed the tree and dropped down deftly onto her new bed. 

                                

                             ********

 

"So she's-"

 

 "Yes." 

 

 "And you didn't-"

 

"No." 

 

Felix stared at Pan incredulously. "And she doesn't-" 

 

 "No." Pan cut him off again. 

 

 "How are you going to do it?" Felix asked. "What's the plan?" 

 

"Right now she has a cause she's willing to die over before giving it up. We just need to channel that dedication into our goals instead of hers." Pan replied. "Peter Pan never fails." He grinned wickedly.

 

Felix smirked before getting serious again. “The most important thing we can do right now is keep her alive. Some of the boys are still distrustful of her."  Felix said. 

 

 

 "True right. I'll take her out tomorrow, we'll  find Baelfire. While we're gone you take care of the boys. I don’t care what you tell them, but not the truth. Even though some of the boys are distrustful, she has still made friends, and I don’t think they’d keep quiet if they knew my plans. If she finds out...I  may never get what I’m  after." Pan said. He glanced at Felix, who nodded, and swallowed thickly. 

 

Pan narrowed his eyes. “You spent an unusual amount of time in her company as well...don’t tell me you’re questioning this Felix.” Pan’s eyes grew dark. 

 

 “Of course not.” Felix replied dryly. “You know I’ll follow your orders anywhere Pan.” When he still didn’t look convinced, Felix added, “I don’t give a damn about that stupid girl. She’s nothing more than a filthy liar.” Felix huffed an angry sigh. 

 

Pan barked a laugh. “You sure change your opinions fast." He shook his head for a minute, before grinning up at the taller boy. "Now come on. Let's get back." 

        

                             ********

 

Adi peered over the edge of the bamboo as Pan and Felix made their way back into camp. Pan looked up at her structure that she'd built, and smirked as if amused. He held her eyes for a moment, before stalking off to his tent without a word. Felix departed to his own bed, and the sound of their boots silenced. Adi looked up at the three guards that were standing at the camp entrance, Rufio, Noah, and Vince. They stood facing outward of camp, but Adi could see Rufio glancing over his shoulder at her. She clutched her sword a little tighter. Rolling over, she could just barely make out the almost completely hidden shapes of the twin boys hiding in the trees, watching over the back entrance. Adrian and Axel, two black boys who were skilled with spears and throwing knives, respectively. She couldn't tell if they were looking at her, but she trusted them to not attack her in the night. Due to the fact that she hadn't been as close with them as the other boys, she guessed her betrayal didn't mean as much. Sighing, she curled up in the center of the hammock, and tried to fall asleep before the inevitable cries woke her again. 

 

                             ********

 

Adi was woken up not by the crying, but instead by someone gently shaking her shoulder. Blinking her eyes open, she saw Pan leaning over her. She sat up quickly, startled, her hand going to her sword. 

 

 "Hey, easy, it's me." He whispered, putting his hand over hers on the sword's hilt. She jerked away at his touch. 

 

 "What the hell?" She hissed, scooting away from him. There wasn't much room on the makeshift bed, but she made it priority to put some distance between them. 

 

 "Come on. Time to finish your drawing." He said. 

 

 "Ugh." Adi groaned and rubbed her face. "Blimey Peter, what time is it?" She sighed. 

 

 "Not long till dawn. Come on." He urged. 

 

 Adi sighed and stretched, and began putting all her stuff back together. She grabbed her boots from the foot of the bed and slid into the well worn leather. She  tossed her bow and quiver over her shoulder, strapped on her belt and sword, and retrieved her hunting knife from under the pillow. She put it in its scabbard on her belt.  She snatched up her cloak from its position as a makeshift blanket and hopped to the ground. She swung the cloak around her shoulders and looked up at Pan expectedly. He tossed her pack to her and jumped down, his landing causing a small dust cloud to surround his boots. 

 

Adi heaved a sigh and followed him out of camp. They walked for about half an hour before coming to a dirt clearing. 

 

 "There." Pan said with a smirk. "Felix has the patrols on the eastern half of the island. No one will disturb you here, so that drawing better be done today." 

 

 Adi rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say Pan." 

 

She she pulled out the sketchbook, took a swig from her canteen, and got to work. 

 

An hour passed. Then another. It was halfway through the third hour that her stomach began complaining about not receiving breakfast. 

 

Pan, who had been impatiently stalking around the clearing, tossed her something square wrapped in parchment. "Catch." He called, giving her barely a second to stop the parcel from hitting her in the face. 

 She glanced at him curiously. The package was warm. She unwrapped it slowly. It was a ham and cheese sandwich. She looked back to Pan, who was unwrapping his own sandwich. 

 

"You...you packed a picnic?" She said, astonished. 

 

 "Well I knew you'd get hungry." He said, and smiled at her. Adi didn't share it. It wasn't his usual wicked, taunting grin. It was almost sweetly. Adi didn't like it. It was unsettling and unlike him, which made her suspicious. 

 

"You're being weird." She said, and took a bite. 

 

 "No I'm not." He said defensively. Adi smirked without looking up from her meal. 

 

 "Are you almost done?" He said impatiently, snatching the drawing from her lap. 

 

 Adi swallowed and replied, "Pretty much. I think I'd like to do a bit more shading along his neck," she pointed to the faint blended strokes she had already done. "But for the most part, its complete." 

 

 Pan stared down at the page. "Hurry and eat. We've got some hiking to do." He grinned again, but it was his usual cruel grin, which Adi found oddly more comforting than his kind smile. At least she was used to him being cruel. Kindness somehow seemed more dangerous coming from him. 

 

 "Where are we off to?" Adi asked as they wandered through the jungle. 

 

 "I'm going to do a tracking spell on the boy's father. My shadow is still following the Dark One, for now. From watching him I've gathered that his son is no longer with him, so now I have the pleasure of trying to find him." 

 

"So what do you need me for?" She wondered. 

 

Pan clambered up a large fallen log and turned back to her with a smile. He held out his hand to help her up. 

 

 "How about just for the pleasure of your company?" He responded. 

 

 She snorted and took his hand. "Bullshit. What're you up to Peter?"

 

"I'm trying to find the key to saving Neverland." He said, a little exasperated. 

 

 "Yeah I know that. I don't see what that has to do with me." 

 

 "Well you are the only one who can see him. I think by finding Henry's father, Baelfire, I'll figure out what it is that connects the two of you." 

 

"I still don’t see why you can’t do all that without me.” She frowned. “What do you need for the tracking spell?" She asked. 

 

"Water. We're heading to the river between the peaks." 

 

 "Dead Man's Peak?" She asked. 

 

 "That's the one." He replied. 

_Where Sebastian died._

She hadn't been there since that day. As they passed between the cliffs, Adi recalled the events that transpired. Her first day in Neverland. How naive she was, to think she would be home within a few months. To not fear Pan. She looked at his broad, confident shoulders as he strutted through the woods, knowing nothing could threaten him, and she shivered, remembering how he filled Sebastian's body with the poison. She looked up to the top of the peak, and wondered if his body was still up there. She recalled his terrified, tortured screams as his body convulsed rapidly, before the poison claimed him in seconds. It was a memory permanently burned into her mind. 

  

 Pan glanced back at her, and stopped at her somber expression. Adi, still caught up in her memories, crashed into him. He grabbed her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. 

 "You okay?" He asked. 

 

She looked back at him, her eyes smoldering. "Why didn't you kill me?" She asked. "When we first met. I was the one who didn't listen to you, I was the one who scorned your offer. Why did you kill Sebastian instead of me?" 

 

He sighed and fell back on his heels. He paused for a minute before responding. "It was a game." He replied tiredly. 

 

  "That doesn't answer the question." She said hotly. 

 

 "I don't want to argue today." He sighed and turned back to walk away. 

 

  "Then stop avoiding it and answer the damn question!" She said, her voice getting more agitated. 

 

"It was because..." he paused and sighed again. He looked back to her. "It was because you stood up to me, challenged me. Killing someone...isn't the worst punishment you can inflict. Killing the people they care about...that's the worst pain you can do." He stepped closer to her, his eyes piercing, his tone level and terrifying. "Remember that Adi. If someone ever wrongs you, go for what they love." 

 

Adi swallowed thickly, a lump tugging at her throat. "Is that why you don't care for anyone?" She challenged, and her voice shook. "It's the only way to get to you." 

 

 "Who says I don't care for anyone?" He responded, and his voice was soft. 

 

 Adi narrowed her eyes and lifted her chin to stare him down. "I know you like to play pretend Peter." she hissed, "But you don't fool me. You don't know how to love anyone but yourself." 

With her icy words striking like venom, she spun on her heel and marched away. "You can find Baelfire by yourself." She snapped over her shoulder, and threw aside leaves and branches in hasty anger. 

 

Suddenly she crashed into something solid. It turned out to be Pan's chest. Her temper grew more fiery. He  _knew_  how much she hated his disappearing and reappearing act. 

 

 "Adi please," he sighed and grabbed her wrists. "I said I don't want to argue. Come with me to the river." 

 

Adi shoved him hard, so that he let go of her wrists. "I told you no." She snapped. "You don't want to argue? Then just leave me the hell alone." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you ask, no, these two can not go a chapter without fighting ;)


	7. Chapter Seven

Adi was seated by the base of a large, gnarled tree on the edge of a dirt clearing, angrily tossing her hunting knife into the ground, pulling it out of the dirt, and throwing it down again. She'd been doing this for the better part of the hour that she had been sitting. She watched as a curious squirrel came scurrying across the clearing. Adi studied the furry animal for a minute, her expression still sour. Reaching into her pack, she pulled out the crumpled up parchment that had contained her breakfast. She glared at it, her blood boiling at any gift from that arrogant rat. Ripping it apart, she grabbed the handful of crumbs that were still inside the thin paper. She tossed them in the direction of the squirrel, who squeaked in agitation, but it's curiosity and hunger drove it to come closer to Adi and inspect the leftover bread. She waited patiently, watching as it scampered closer. Silently she pulled her dagger out of the dirt. She hadn't really spent much time trying her hand at throwing knives, but gave it a shot anyway. The squirrel was nibbling on the bread crust just a few feet from her. Adi narrowed her eyes, and took her aim. The knife whistled through the air and struck the squirrel in its tail. This obviously didn't kill it, but instead pinned it to the ground.    The squirrel shrieked in pain and tried to get free. 

 

 "Damn it!" Adi growled, and jumped to her feet. 

 "Well, I guess we can add animal cruelty to your reputation." A jeering voice called to her. She turned to see Felix coming into the clearing. 

 "What do you want?" She asked contemptuously, stalking over to the struggling squirrel. 

 "Oh, nothing." Felix replied, grinning. 

 "Hand me your knife." She said, crouching over the animal. It was struggling so much it was starting to tear through its tail. 

 Felix obliged and handed over his own hunting knife. Adi quickly pinned the squirrel's head down and slit its throat in one swift movement before it could bite her. She felt it go limp under her hand. She sighed and handed Felix his knife back, and pulled her own from its tail. She wiped the blood off on the thigh of her pants and sheathed it. She grabbed a long tendril of twine from her pack, and picked the creature up by its mangled tail. she secured it by its back paws onto her belt. 

 "Well if your just here for witty banter I'm afraid I'm not in the mood." Adi said to Felix, and stood up to walk away. 

 

“Alright come on. You and Pan had your fight, now come on back to camp." He said. 

 

Adi felt her anger burning up again. She was sick and tired of everyone dismissing Pan's irresponsible actions. 

 She spun on her heel and marched over to Felix, her fury enunciated by every step. 

 

“No." She thundered. "No, I won't go back to camp and pretend like what Peter has done is insignificant. I am not going to apologize for getting angry over something he has done because he deserves it. And I definitely won't take to him sending his  _lackeys_  to try and get me to keep helping him pursue something he hasn't even bothered to tell me about!" Her voice rose higher with each sentence, and she started to shake with how furious she was. 

 "Adi, come on-" Felix started to protest. 

 "No!" She shouted. "Every terrible thing that has happened on this goddamn island since I got here has been because of him. Lets see, he murdered my friend just to prove he could, he kidnapped several of the Lost Boys and won't let them go home to their families, he's using my sister as a bargaining tool to force me to do whatever the hell he wants, his shadow has almost killed me twice, he's dismissed every horrible thing he's ever done and won't own up to it when he knows he's wrong, but please, stop me when you've found a  redeemable quality!" Adi laughed bitterly. 

"Adi." Felix said seriously, grabbing her shoulder and forcing her to look at him. 

 

 "What?!"  

 

He tipped his head to the side and studied her. He remained silent for a long time, before saying in a soft, steady voice "Did you know he saved my life?" Felix reached up and touched the long scar that ran from his forehead, across his nose, under his eye, and down to his cheek. 

 

Adi watched him quizzically, but didn't respond, waiting for him to explain. 

 

He huffed a breath and said " This was a gift from my old man." He said. "Drunken bastard tried to cut my eye out." Felix wouldn't meet her gaze. "Pan took me to Neverland. He saved me from that god awful house." 

 

Adi looked away, and huffed out a breath. After a long, uncomfortable pause, she said "The problem is Felix, is that I have no idea if that's true or not. You’re unquestioningly loyal to him, I know that even without the story. So for all I know, that story is just another lie to humanize a monster." She sighed and sat down, feeling an overwhelming sense of defeat and tiredness come over her. She pulled her knees up to her chest. "I just don't know who to trust anymore."

 

Felix smirked and looked up to the sky. "Well that's the think about Pan." He said. "He doesn't hide who he is. You can always trust him to be true to himself." Adi followed his gaze and stared at the clouds. They sat in silence for a long time, before Felix finally sighed.  He held out his hand to her. "Come on, come back to camp. Besides, I think we found something you'd be interested in."  

 

"Oh yeah?" Adi said sarcastically. 

 "Pan found Baelfire. He sent his shadow after him." 

 "How exciting." She deadpanned. 

 "He wasn't just away from his father Adi. He wasn't even in the Enchanted Forest." Felix went on. 

Adi turned to look at him curiously. "You mean to say he crossed realms?"  

 Felix smiled wryly. He had her attention. "Yup. And no one knows how." He held out his hand to her again. "Come on. Pan's sent his shadow after him, it should be coming back with a report." 

 

Adi tipped her head to the side, and took Felix's hand, letting him pull her up. "Report?" She intoned. 

 

 "Pan wants to know how he left the Enchanted Forest. His shadow is going to watch him for awhile and make sure he won't be able to leave Neverland." 

 

 "I thought no one leaves the island without Pan's permission." Adi laughed. 

 

"Yeah feel free to mention that to him." Felix retorted. Adi laughed harder and began to walk out of the clearing, back to the camp. 

As they strolled through the jungle, Adi asked "So why'd Peter send you? I thought you hated me." 

Felix snorted. "Because he wanted you to actually come back. Would you really have walked back to camp if he'd been the one to ask?" 

Adi laughed and said honestly "No, I'd probably just kick his ass." 

 "Right, because you could take Pan in a fight." He said with dry humor. 

 "Probably not under normal circumstances." She admitted in a light tone. "But I have the advantage of him not being able to kill me. For whatever reason he needs me to help him find this kid he's after."  

"Yeah but on the other hand you can't kill him because he's the only one who can open portals out of Neverland. He's your only chance to get home." Felix pointed out. 

 "Maybe not." Adi muttered. Perhaps this Baelfire knew how to cross realms. 

 

They walked in silence for a minute before Felix spoke lightly. "And I am still mad at you for lying by the way. Which is another reason why Pan sent me. You would have to come back. You owe me for your lies." 

 

Adi bit her lip, and tried to joke with him. "I also owe you for showing me the stream on my first night." 

 "That too." Felix drawled in a dry tone, not sharing her humor. Adi sighed, and trudged after him in awkward silence. 

They made it into camp, and Thaddeus, who was standing guard, nudged her shoulder playfully as she passed him. She turned to grin at him, and promptly smacked right into someone. 

 

Of course it was Pan. "You're starting to make a habit of that you know." He teased, looking down at her with a smirk. 

She glowered at him for a moment before shoving him out of her way. 

"Oh come on, you're still mad?" He jeered. Adi looked over her shoulder with an icy stare, and Pan's smile fell from his face. "Oh." He said. "You are." 

She began walking away from him, but he grabbed her hand, making her stop. "Hey, lets go up to the archery range." He said. 

 "I told you to stay the hell away from me. So unless you're going to let me use you as target practice, then get lost." She snapped. 

 "Fine." Pan sighed in a bored tone. "Lets go." 

 "What?" Adi asked as he began tugging her across the camp. 

"If letting you shoot arrows at me will get you over this stupid fight then so be it."

 

They got to the range and Pan stood in front of one of the targets. 

 He held his arms out wide, daring her to shoot him. 

 "Come on. Do it!" He shouted at her.

Glaring at him, she slung her bow off of her shoulder and notched an arrow. She stared at him over the sharp point of the arrowhead, and felt her fingers slacken with hesitation. 

 "You can't do it can you?" Pan asked, lowering his arms. 

Adi narrowed her eyes, and the anger that had been smoldering all morning began to boil back up. She released the arrow. 

 

The second it left her bow she gasped, realizing what she'd just done. But the arrow didn't strike Pan as she thought it would. Instead he caught it in his hand, and didn't look even mildly concerned. He looked back at her with a taunting grin. "You missed." He teased. 

 

 _Damn him_. She notched another arrow and let it fly. He caught it easily, as he did with the next three she fired at him, one after another, as soon as she could get them on her bow. The next arrow she sent his way Pan didn't catch. Instead, he teleported out of the way, leaving the arrow to hit the center of the target board behind him. Adi allowed herself a twinge of pride for being able to hit the bulls eye for the first time, before she felt two fingers reach from behind her to touch he temple. 

 "You were afraid you were going to kill me." Pan barked a laugh as he read her mind. "Feel better now?" He asked, his voice dripping with conceit. 

 Adi smacked his hand away, closing him out of her thoughts. She clenched her fists tightly, shaking with anger. 

She could feel Pan's smug smile from behind as he spoke. "I knew you'd get over it. Now come on, let's-" 

But whatever Pan wanted to do with her she wouldn't know. She turned around suddenly, without warning, and punched him straight in the mouth. 

 

Her knuckles collided with his jawbone, and Adi felt the vibrations rattle up her body. Pan fell back, and then turned to stare at her, dumbfounded. He reached up to touch his bloodied lip. 

 " _Now_ I feel better." She smirked and turned away from him, practically skipping back to camp. 

 

Adi walked to the campfire where a few of the boys were playing a game to see who could get their fingers closest to the flames. She was grinning broadly, feeling lighter than she had in months. 

 "What's got you all giddy?" Felix asked, coming to sit beside her. Claude came over to her as well, pausing from the game. 

 Adi smiled over at Felix, and then looked down at her hand, where she'd split open a knuckle on Pan's tooth. She stared at the blood that came from the wound, and started to laugh. Felix looked at her,confused, and then studied her hand. Slowly it dawned on him. 

 "You didn't." He said. Adi howled with laughter. 

 "What?" Claude looked to Felix for understanding. 

 "I think she punched Pan." Felix replied in a shocked tone. 

 Claude turned to look at her sharply. She couldn't stop laughing. 

Claude swallowed thickly, his throat dry.  "Adi he'll kill you." He said weakly. 

Adi laughed on, overcome with a unbelievable sense of apathy. She didn't feel afraid or sad like she should. She felt numb. 

Suddenly she felt fingers knot in her hair and yank her head back, promptly ending her laughing fit. 

 

She looked up to see Pan staring down at her, his eyes piercing to kill. He looked even worse than when he had learned she was a girl. When she had been so terrified she backed off a cliff. But now he couldn't frighten her with anything. She felt nothing. And she laughed in his face. 

 

His expression twisted into further rage, and he was about to strike her with his hand that was blazing red with magic when Claude grabbed his arm. 

 "Pan, I think she's snapping." He murmured. Pan held his gaze for a minute, his expression guarded,and then stared down at Adi, who was still laughing uncontrollably. 

 

Pan released her hair and she let her head fall forward again. He dropped his other hand, the magic dissipating into nothing. Pan walked around the log and came to kneel in front of Adi, who was still chuckling quietly to herself, while looking down at her hands, but her eyes were blank. Pan reached out and cupped her face, forcing her to look at him. Her eyes seemed to stare through him. 

 "Adi?" He asked, but her eyes remained lifeless, and she didn't even seem to hear him. 

"Well..." he sighed, and then smiled smugly. "Then I'll consider this payback." 

 

He touched his bloody lip briefly, before straightening Adi so that she sat perfectly upright. He glanced at Felix, who just shrugged at him. 

 

Pan smirked, and promptly smacked her across the face. 

Adi's hair flew across her face as her head tipped to the side of the slap. She was still for a moment, and then started to laugh quietly, letting it build as she became almost maniacal. Pan fell back on his heels with an aggravated sigh. 

 

He grabbed Adi's hand and made her stand up. He looked at her, with her head raised to the sky laughing like a banshee, and he felt panic creeping up on him. 

 

A brief idea flickered across his mind, so quick he almost immediately dismissed it. He leaned back, debating if he should or shouldn't go through with it. His eyes flicked to the Lost Boys, who were coming to gather around Adi. He took a deep breath and pulled Adi closer to him. 

 

"Come on." He ordered. 

 Pan enveloped them in green smoke and they disappeared out of camp. 

 

Pan took her to the clearing she'd gone to after their fight. He wanted to be alone with her, he couldn't imagine what the other boys would do or say if they could see what he was going to do. 

 

He sat her down on a rock, and while she was no longer laughing, she wasn't showing any sign of understanding at all. Pan knelt in front of her again. He took her hands in his and held them in her lap. 

 

 "Adi." His voice was soft, but there was worry there too. He reached up and pushed her hair out of her face with gentle fingers. She didn't respond to his touch. "Adi." He said again persistently, and leaned up closer to her face. She didn't move.

 

 "Damn it." Pan sighed, and pulled her to her feet, not letting go of her hands.  

He looked back at her, but she still didn't change her expression. He sighed and stepped closer to her, so close he could feel her breath on him. 

 

He slowly reached up, hesitant, and ran one hand  through her unruly hair, while his other still firmly grasped her hand. He pulled on her black locks lightly, tipping her head up to him. Her eyes shifted lazily to look up at him. He couldn't help but smirk. "This is all your fault you know." He said, before leaning down and crashing their lips together. 

 

Adi froze, and for a second Pan thought it hadn't worked, but then he felt her lips twitch against his, and then slowly her hand was on his chest. He smiled against her mouth before deepening the kiss. 

 

Adi felt her foggy mind clearing, slowly but surely. She put her hand on his chest to either push him away or pull him closer, she couldn't tell. The only thought she could register was that kissing him felt traitorously good. 

 

And as quickly as it had began, it was over. Pan pulled away with a flourish, and his cocky grin came back as he looked down into her clever eyes, shining with the life and fire he'd come to recognize. 

 

She stared at him with a dazed expression, trying desperately to put her scrambled thoughts back together. "What...?" This was, evidentially, the most eloquent thing she could come up with. 

 

 "You snapped." Pan said, as way of explanation. "That's what we call it anyway. It's happened to some of the Lost Boys before." He moved her to sit back down on the rock, his hand still holding hers as he sat next to her. 

 

"What does that mean?" Adi asked slowly. 

 

"They just stop caring. About themselves, the other boys, anything. They lose it. We may be reckless but we're not stupid." Pan said. "Everyone here on this island has some reason to fight, to live for. But when you snap, it's like you completely forget all of that. You stop caring about everything, anything. At first nobody knew what to do. These boys would attack sometimes, they would try to kill the other Lost Boys. A lot of the boys that snapped ended up getting killed in some way or another. Eventually we figured out that sometimes we can shock them out it." 

 

Adi remained silent for a moment, processing what Pan had said while keeping her eyes on their hands, still intertwined together. 

 

After a pause, she felt the corner of her mouth turn up into a smile. "So... _that_ was your best idea?" Adi raised her eyebrows at him. 

 

 "Well I did try slapping you first." Pan acknowledged. "And it worked didn't it?" A smirk began ghosting across his features. "And I don't recall you complaining." He cocked an eyebrow at her teasingly. 

 

 She rolled her eyes and stood up. "You wish Peter." She replied, starting to walk back to camp, but Pan grabbed her wrist and spun her around. 

 

"Adi, wait." His voice was oddly serious. "What made you snap?" He asked. 

 

She averted her eyes from his curious gaze. "It was you." She admitted. "You just...you just made me so damn _mad_..." She balled her fists up tightly. "I didn't care what happened to me anymore. I wasn't afraid of you. I wasn't afraid of anything for just a brief moment, and I let myself fall into that feeling because...because you just always manage to irritate the hell out me." 

 

Pan sighed, and took her shaking fist into his hand, smoothing out the clenched knuckles until he could lock their fingers together. Adi tensed at his touch, her heart starting to hammer with how close he was. 

 

“I don't want you to be afraid of me." He said softly, and Adi was taken aback by his gentle tone. He said it so quietly she wasn't sure that she'd heard him correctly. 

 

He straightened up, and continued on. " I know you want me to feel remorse, to apologize for killing your friend. But I don't, and I will not apologize." He stated firmly. "It was his death that made you a Lost Boy. And I just can't regret that." 

He nudged her chin to get her to look up at him. "I won't ask you to forgive me for something I won't apologize for. But if you want to be a Lost Boy then you have to accept who I am." His eyes bore into hers, and Adi was struck by how clear they were. Those sea green eyes. She held his gaze, her eyes searching his, before sighing and looking away. She took her hand out of his. 

 

 "Lets go back to camp Peter." 

 

Adi returned to camp with Pan trailing just a step behind. As she entered through the foliage, she saw Felix look up at her, and was surprised when he came to meet her halfway across the camp. 

 

 "You're alright." He commented. 

 "I am now, yes." She answered, feeling the uncomfortable tension between them, the uncertainty of if he still hated her. 

He grinned and said "Is making us worry your way of showing affection?" He teased, and tugged at a strand of her hair. She smiled, and felt the relief overcome her. They were friends again. 

"How'd Pan pull you out of it?" Felix asked. 

"Um..." she hesitated, wondering if she should tell him. 

 "Grabbed her by her hair and threw her face in the river." Pan replied, coming up behind her. 

 "He nearly drowned me." Adi added quickly, with a glare at Pan. 

 "It worked didn't it?" He tossed back, and he raised his eyebrows suggestively, reminding her of the last time he said that. 

 

Adi felt a faint heat dust across her cheeks, and thankfully the blush didn't show. She could only imagine what the Lost Boys would do if they found out he'd kissed her. 

 

 "Well good thing it did." Felix went on, watching the exchange between the two of them. "Adi, are you going to eat that squirrel or let it dangle on your hip forever?" Felix said in his dry voice, and Adi looked down at her squirrel from that afternoon, long forgotten. 

“Eat it I guess." She shrugged. "Never tasted squirrel before." With a quick glance between the two boys, she walked over to the table where they usually gutted their kills. 

She got to work skinning and cleaning the body. She chopped it's meat up into sections, and carried it on a plate over to the fire. Skewering it on a stick, she began to roast her dinner. 

 

Dusk had started to settle in over the island, and the other boys made there way around the fire as Pan wandered over, sitting next to Adi, much to her annoyance. 

 

 "My shadow is on its way back." Pan commented, looking up to the darkening sky. 

Adi looked up as well, and felt a flutter of excitement. She could be going home soon. 

 

Pan's shadow came flying in through the treetops and came to a halt, hovering in the air right above Adi and Pan. Adi watched, transfixed, as the shadow and Pan stared at each other, silently communicating. And then, without a word, Pan nodded once, and the shadow took off. 

 "Peter?" Adi looked to him to explain the exchange. 

 "Your squirrel is burning." He commented. Adi hissed and pulled the stick away from the flames, her meat a charcoal mess. She threw the stick into the dirt, her meal ruined. 

 "What did the shadow say?" She demanded. 

 "You should get something else to eat." Peter answered, being purposefully coy as he waved his hand, producing a small loaf of warm, soft bread. 

 "Peter!" Adi snapped sharply. 

 He laughed. "Fine, fine. You're no fun." He sighed, putting the bread into her hand. 

 "Baelfire is holed up in some house. The children who live there are hiding him from the parents, so the shadow can't see him. One of them caught the shadow at the window so it flew away." 

Pan sighed and leaned back against a tall smooth rock that pushed against the log they were seated on. 

 "So let them see the shadow." Adi shrugged. "If they think the shadow is threatening, then they won't let it go near Baelfire. If they think it's a friend of theirs, then they'll want him to join in on their game." 

 Pan looked off, thinking about it, but then washed away his expression with his usual smirk. 

 "How about a song boys?" He shouted, standing up. 

 

The boys whooped and hollered, encouraging him as they all got up to jump around the fire. Adi rolled her eyes and smiled as they became entranced by Pan's playing, and began to pick apart the loaf of bread. The celebration continued long into the night, but eventually everyone broke apart to go to bed or to their nightly watch. Adi watched Pan for a minute, as he walked away to his private tent, and jumped when he turned back to see her staring at him. He grinned wickedly at her, before ducking into the tent. Adi turned away quickly, feeling oddly exposed. She climbed up to her hanging bed, and curled up in a ball, hiding her face from the boys below. As the camp grew silent, Adi pressed her fingers to her lips lightly, another soft blush creeping up on her, and she couldn't help but smile faintly.


	8. Chapter Eight

Peter Pan was bored. And that led to dangerous waters. Quite literally. By Adi’s calculations, it had been over a week since Pan had begun surveillance on Baelfire, and while his shadow was keeping the children entertained with its various parlor tricks, Pan was still impatient. And now relied on Adi and the other Lost Boys to keep him entertained. Which was why Adi, Felix, and Rufio were all marching up the mountain with Pan, to go cliff jumping into Mermaid Lagoon. Adi had been especially recruited, because Pan "wanted to know if they'd drown girls too." 

 

"This is stupid." Adi sighed as they moved up the steep incline, wiping the sweat off the back of her neck as the late afternoon sun baked down on them. Neverland rarely got too hot, but right now was the perfect time of the day for the sun to cause Adi and the Boys to leave their cloaks back at camp. It was strange, feeling her hair against her arms and neck for the first time in ages. Peter, of course, looked perfectly cool and content as he teleported himself ahead of them every few feet, because of course he couldn't just walk up the trail with them.

  "Adi are you always such a stick in the mud?" Pan sighed. "Where's your sense of fun?" 

  "Haven't you ever played a normal game?" Adi retorted. "Why does everything have to be a near death experience?" 

 "Maybe if you played the games you'd find out." Pan said lightly. 

"What's the matter? Scared?" Rufio teased her. 

 "Of fish?" Adi snorted. "Hardly." 

 

 "Then what's stopping you?" Pan challenged, holding his arm out to gesture to the cliff that they'd finally reached. 

 

 She looked at him with irritation, before slinging her pack off and throwing it at Pan's face. Tossing her sword to one side and her bow and arrows to the other, she ran through the sparse trees, and without hesitation, leaped off the rocks. 

 

The familiar falling sensation was upon her instantly, with her stomach in her throat as she fell into the Lagoon.  Adi's feet hit first, and the shock waves shook her body. The water was surprisingly tepid. After a moment, Adi opened her eyes slightly, and was astounded by the clarity of the water. Seeing it from afar was nothing compared to swimming in it. Adi started to push herself up toward the surface, when a flash of silver caught her eye.

 

She turned, curious, and nearly smacked heads with a woman's face.  Adi gasped, water filling her mouth before she quickly shut it. The mermaid's silvery blue tail flicked back and forth, her curious expression keeping Adi frozen. 

 

She was quite beautiful. Her blonde hair fanned out around her face, dancing magically in the water. Her eyes were silver, studying Adi with an odd interest. 

 

They stayed like this, holding each other's gaze, before Adi became aware of the burning in her chest that reminded her she needed air. She started for the surface again, glancing down once more to look for the mermaid. She was watching her swim determinedly upward, unmoving. The mermaids actions were decidedly creepy, and Adi made a point to begin swimming for shore as soon as her head broke through the waves. She spluttered out the water she'd swallowed, and looked up to the boys, who were whooping and hollering their excitement. 

_Idiots._

But Adi could help but to smile. She waved lazily up at them before she began to make her way back to land. A large splash dropped a few paces to her left, indicating that one of the boys had jumped after her. Turning, she saw Felix's head burst through the water. He shook the water from his hair, making it whip in all directions. He grinned his usual smile, the kind that was almost challenging her. She laughed at him, and began to swim in his direction.  She'd only made it a couple of strokes however, when she heard Felix give a shout. Pausing, she looked over the waves just in time to see him get tugged underwater. 

"Felix!" Adi shrieked, and dove down after him. It took a minute longer for Adi's eyes to adjust this time. When they did, she was able to see clearly in the water, Felix's struggling form, a mermaid violently dragging him deeper into the sea. Adi clawed her way toward them, but it was useless. She was too far away and the now menacing fish was too fast. She saw Felix land punches on the mermaid's face, arms, torso, anywhere he could reach, but she didn't seem to care. A muffled sound to her right caught her attention, and she saw another body enter the water. The bubbles cleared away, and she saw Rufio. _Moron!_  Adi thought angrily. What if the mermaids went after him too? She didn't have time to dwell on it long, Felix was being pulled further and further down. Adi kicked furiously, and in her peripheral saw Rufio doing the same. Felix couldn't die. She wouldn’t let that happen. Adi could feel her chest burning, but she kept going. She'd sooner drown before she let him go. In the corner of her eye, she saw more flashes of silver, indicating more of the scaly wenches were coming. Adi let out a cry of anger and desperation, the bubbles escaping her mouth.  She turned toward Rufio, hoping that he might be able to swim faster than her, but to her dismay he was gone. Looking around wildly, she saw him a few feet below her, being rapidly dragged down by two mermaids. Adi mentally swore, and her eyes darted between the two boys. Felix's struggles were becoming less and less focused. He was losing consciousness. Helpless panic began to set in, and Adi had a flashing thought of watching her two friends drown. 

 

Suddenly a streak of orange cut through the water. It sped past Adi and struck the mermaid dragging Felix, she released him with an ear splitting cry that shook the water.  Felix flung himself away from her, and began desperately swimming to the surface. But he was moving much to slowly. Adi began swimming down to him, but could see the black spots forming in her own vision. Another orange streak come past her, and this time she got a clear look at it as it attacked the mermaids holding Rufio. It was fire. Fireballs to be exact. Adi blinked, fascinated, and looked up at the surface to see a blurry silhouette of a person floating above the water. She felt something bubbling around her, and suddenly she was being propelled through the sea, and with a gasp, burst out of the water.  She hiccoughed, trying to expel the  liquid in her lungs. She was carried past the waters edge and back up to the cliffside. She landed on the dirt with a damp thud, and wheezed as more fluid bubbled out of her mouth. She turned on her side and coughed violently. Two more smacks on the ground, one on either side of her, told Adi that Rufio and Felix had both been magicked up as well. She heard them both coughing and spluttering, indicating that they too were breathing.  They lay there, hacking for a minute, before Adi was able to roll onto her back, her chest heaving as she took huge gulps of air.

 

“You...” she gasped out, looking up at the lazy clouds drifting past. “You’re an idiot.” She croaked. “You’re both idiots!” She gave a raspy laugh. 

 “You jumped first.” Felix pointed out weakly, but Adi could tell he was smiling. She laughed, but it turned to a cough. She spat out more water, and sat up with a groan. 

 

“Ugh, where’s Peter?” She asked, looking around for their rescuer.  She crawled over to the cliff edge and peered down. Peter was flying above the water, and she could see the blond head of the mermaid that had stared at her emerge from the sea. Peter’s voice carried up the cliff. It was faint, but she could make out the words being exchanged.  

 

“Hey Maira.” He grinned. “Nice to see you again.” 

    “Peter.” The mermaid purred. Adi couldn’t see her face, but she had the suspicion that she was batting her eyelashes. Her tone reminded her of the girls who would hang around the tavern back home. 

  “You burned Triteia.” The mermaid complained. 

“Oh I’m sorry about that.” Pan replied, though he didn’t sound very sincere. “You did try to drown two of my boys.” 

  “We have a deal Peter.” Maira’s voice turned icy. “Anyone who comes into the water is fair game.” 

 “Interesting.” Peter commented. “You didn’t try and drown Adi.” 

 “Is that her name?” Maira laughed. 

 “What’s the matter, only like drowning boys?” Peter tipped her head, a false smile plastered on his face. 

 “You mean you couldn’t sense it about her?” She laughed at him. “Oh no Peter, I think you’ve lost your touch.” Her twinkling laughter rang again. “I thought you were king of the island.” She said sarcastically.

Pan’s brow furrowed. Adi snickered. He didn’t like to be mocked. 

 “You should visit more often Peter. We’ve missed you.” She giggled, and it made Adi wrinkle her nose.  “Tell that pretty girl Adi the mermaids say hello.” She turned around, and Adi froze as they made eye contact. Maira gave her a flirty wave before diving under the water with a flick of her tail. 

 

Adi blinked, and looked over to Pan. His eyes were dark. In a split second, he was gone and reappeared in front of her. Adi fell back with a startled gasp. 

 “Eavesdropping were you?” Pan clicked his tongue. “You’re just full of terrible habits.”

 “Peter, what did she mean?” Adi held out her hand for him to help her up. He obliged, and pulled her up close to his face. He smiled down at her. “That doesn’t sound like much of a thank you.” He said in a whisper.

  “You’re avoiding the question.” Adi rolled her eyes. “And technically my life was never in danger. The mermaids weren’t after me.” 

Pan snorted. “Never in danger? Liar. You almost drowned.” 

Adi rolled her eyes again, but smiled. She glanced over to Felix and Rufio, who were just starting to stand up. 

 

Adi pulled away from Peter, releasing their hands that were still clasped against his chest. She suddenly felt self conscious and had the desire to put distance between her and Peter, so she walked over to the two boys that were dripping wet. 

“You okay?” She asked.

Felix coughed out the last of the water in his lungs and nodded. 

Rufio smiled teasingly at her. “Worried?” He rasped.

Adi smirked and walked away, not bothering to comment. She grabbed her weapons from where she’d thrown them. 

“Let’s get back to camp. I’m freezing.” She said, and began the march into the jungle. They made quick time, seeing as the majority of the party was eager to get out of their soaking wet clothes. They got into camp just as darkness took over the island and the stars started to poke out. Adi followed the other boys into the tent where all the spare clothes were kept for any future Lost Boys. Felix began shuffling through the neatly stacked clothes. He tossed a shirt to Rufio, and then found a pair of trousers, which he also threw at his face. Felix finished rounding up dry clothes for him and Adi. She took them gratefully, and was about to put them on when she saw Rufio was awkwardly paused, his shirt halfway off. 

 Adi tipped her head. “Do you mind if I change in here? It’s not like I can go anywhere else.” 

 “Doesn’t matter to me.” Felix shrugged, already tugging his tunic off. 

Rufio, after a minute, nodded his head to indicate that it was okay. 

Adi personally didn’t care if they saw her, or if she saw them. Standing on ceremony was not something Lost Boys did, and in all honesty Adi didn’t have thetime nor the inclination for propriety. She'd seen a fair share of the boys naked already, before they knew she was a girl. They were more private about theid displays of skin nowadays, which Adi thought was rediculous. She'd already seen them, why did it suddenly matter now? She'd asked Claude about it once, arguing that she was as much of a girl the first time she saw them strip as she was now, but he just laughed at her. 

 

She was just pulling up the hem of her top, exposing her navel, when she heard an annoyingly familiar accent speak up. 

 “Sorry to interrupt a thrilling bonding moment for you all, but I’m afraid Adi is coming with me.” Peter announced from the tent entrance. 

 Adi peered crossly over her shoulder at him. “It can’t wait until I put on clean clothes?” 

“Nope.” Peter replied cheerfully. “Come on.” He gestured for her to follow him. 

 “Don’t be difficult.” Peter sighed when she didn’t. “I’m not above using magic to force you to come.” 

 

Adi groaned and stomped over to him angrily, her boots squelching with every step. 

“Oh you can put those down.” Peter said, referring to the dry clothes in her hand. “You won’t need them.” 

He took them from her without waiting for a reply and tossed them to Felix, who had a dark look growing on his features.

Adi looked at him curiously before being tugged away by Peter. 

 

Where was Peter taking her? To her great surprise and suspicion he lead her to his tent. She narrowed her eyes. What did Peter mean when he said she wouldn’t need her dry clothes? 

 

Peter ushered her in without a word. “Why do you look so tense?” He asked, making his way over to the bed. “Don’t you trust me yet?” He teased.

Adi smiled. “You know the answer to that.” She responded light heartedly. The usual banter did help calm her nerves, and she reminded herself that she was overreacting. 

 “Anyways, this is why I brought you here.” Peter said, lifting something off of the bed. The garment was a creamy white gown, with a cinched waist and sleeves that ended at the elbow. Adi blinked, and took the dress from his hands. A gift?

 

“Why?” She asked. 

 

 “Because you’re a girl, and you shouldn’t have to dress like a man all the time to be taken seriously.” Peter replied. “Do you like it?” 

 “It’s beautiful.” Adi admitted. Who knew Peter could pick out such fine clothes? “But it’s also highly impractical to wear a dress in the jungle.” She reminded him. 

 “So just wear it around camp then.” Peter answered easily. 

“It’s so short.” She commented, holding it against her body. The dress ended at her knees. She’d never worn anything shorter than her ankles. 

“I can make it longer.” Peter said. 

 “No, I like it.” Adi stopped him. A smile was spreading on her face. “I haven’t worn a dress in so long. It’s nice.” She looked at him. “What’s the catch?” 

 “Catch? There’s no catch. It’s a gift.” Peter replied.

 “Oh come on. When have you ever done something without reason? What do you want?” She asked. 

 

“Nothing.” Peter sighed, exasperated. “Just take the dress Adi.” 

Adi eyed him for a moment longer, but gave in, saying “Alright, I’ll let it go for now. Thank you.” 

 “Was that so hard to say?” Peter teased. 

Adi rolled her eyes and didn’t reply. 

 

“I’ll let you get dressed.” He said, and made his way to the exit. 

 “You don’t have to leave.” Adi said quickly. The words tumbled out before she realized what she was saying. “I mean, it’s your tent.” She added hastily. 

Peter looked back at her, a bit taken aback. But then it quickly washed away with a smirk. He stalked toward her, coming in far closer than Adi thought hewould. He reached a hand out and twisted a lock of her hair in his fingers. “Do you want me to stay?” He asked in a low breath, his eyebrows dancing. 

“I don’t care what you do.” Adi murmured. 

 

Pan clicked his tongue. “For someone who deceived an entire island for months, that was a terrible lie.” He smirked. He leaned in just a little bit more, so close that Adi would have to hardly move to close the gap between them if she wanted. “I’ll see you outside.” He whispered, and suddenly he was gone, the hand in her hair grazing against her jaw in the briefest of moments before he disappeared outside. 

 

For a minute Adi stood there, stunned, her face flushed. 

Was she actually...  _disappointed_  that Peter hadn’t stayed?

 

She dismissed it immediately, and decided to ignore what has just happened. It was just Peter being obnoxious as usual, trying to get a rise out of her. She huffed and quickly pulled off her clothes that were now stuck to her skin. Regardless of whatever that was, she was grateful for the dress. Not only was it something dry to wear, it was truly beautiful, and as she slipped it over her head, she sighed at how fine the material was. Wearing a dress again made her think of sewing gowns with Lana and her mother when she was little. 

Adi was so busy admiring the dress, she didn’t realize the perfect opportunity she had. She was alone in Peter’s tent. The last time she’d been in here, she hadn’t gotten the chance to look around. Peter knew plenty of her secrets. Maybe it was time to dig up a few of his. 

 

The tent was about the same size as the other ones that the Boys stayed in, but because it was only Peter’s things in this one, it somehow felt bigger. There was the large  bed with the quilted coverlet, a table with a map of Neverland sprawled across it, and at the foot of the bed was a large chest. 

 

Adi blinked. Peter didn’t seem like the type to keep sentimental mementos.  It was the only thing in the room that seemed like it could hold any personal value. Adi tiptoed over it, and reached hesitantly for the latch. Just as she closed her fingers around it, she heard the shifting of fabric as the tent flap was thrown open.  Adi jumped back like she had been stung. She whipped around to face Peter as he was coming back in. 

 “I almost forgot the shoes.” He said as he strode in, holding up a pair of short boots. He paused from his next sentence, his eyes darting between her and the trunk. 

 “Did you go through my stuff?” He asked sharply. But his tone wasn’t what Adi expected. It wasn’t furious, rather, he sounded anxious. Almost like he was afraid that she’d opened it. He was searching her face nervously. 

 “N-no.” Adi said, taken aback by his voice. She bit the inside of her cheek. That didn’t sound very convincing. 

 Pan’s eyes narrowed for a minute, holding her gaze. “No, you didn’t. But you were going to. That’s why you look so guilty.” 

 “I’m not guilty of anything.” And growled. 

“Oh that’s not true.” Pan quipped easily as he crossed the room. He grabbed her around the waist lightly with one arm and pulled her away from the chest. “You’re just full of terrible habits.” Pan sighed as he kneeled down to inspect the lock. “I suppose we can add plundering to that list. Not a surprise, seeing as you are a former pirate. In any case, it’s best not to open this, for future reference.” He stood and turned to face her. “Should I invite you in here again.” He winked with a smirk. Adi rolled her eyes. “I keep some dangerous spell ingredients in here and if not handled properly, can have some nasty side effects.” He grinned. “Anyways, I forgot these.” He held out the brown boots casually, like a prize from a hunt. 

 “I forgot your hunting boots are soaked too.” He nodded down to her feet. 

“I’m still not convinced this is out of the goodness of your heart.” Adi said wryly as she took them from him she walked over and sat down on the bed, kicking off her hunting boots and replacing them with the dry new ones. They cut off at her ankle, unlike her usual ones that covered her shins. They were made of the same fine brown leather, with a hand stitched quality  that felt homely. Adi stood up and turned to Peter, holding her hands out to the side with a small shrug. 

 “How about a twirl?” Pan grinned. 

 Adi rolled her eyes and elbowed past him to leave.

“Shove off.” Adi tossed back. “ I knew this was stupid, I don’t know why I bother-“ Adi breath hitched as she felt Pan’s fingers ghosting on her shoulder, trailing down her arm to her waist. He came up behind her, so close that she could feel the heat from his body against her back. 

She could feel his smirk. They stayed paused like that, completely frozen, with Pan’s hand against her hip. Adi didn’t think either one of them was breathing. Finally, Peter moved. With his other hand, Pan reached beyond her and held open the tent, his hand moving from her waist to the small of her back, gently nudging her outside. 

 Adi’s legs regained their ability to move without Peter’s assistance, and she quickly store forward, away from his lingering warmth behind her. 

 

 She made her way toward the fire, sitting down by Felix.

 “Hey.” Adi smiled awkwardly, crossing her ankles. 

 “You’re wearing a dress.” Felix commented. 

 “Er...yeah.” Adi replied, squirming a little. 

 “Looks nice.” Felix continued in the same dry tone, and handed her a slice of pie. 

Adi ate her pie, listening to the talk of the group around the fire, and ignored the stares at her exposed legs from some of the other boys. 

Pan, she noticed in particular, kept his eyes on her from across the fire. As the night wore on, he seemed to get more and more agitated. Finally, as if he couldn’t stand it anymore, Pan jumped to his feet and came around to where she was sitting. 

 

“Dance with me.” 

 

“What? No!”

 

 “Come on. Let’s have fun.” Pan insisted, holding out his hand. 

  Adi eyed it uncertainly. “There’s no music.” 

 “Hmm yes.” Peter replied, turning to glance around the circle. “Fortunately for us, Adrian plays the guitar beautifully.” He whistled and waved the boy over with one hand, while having a guitar appear in the other. He held it out to him. “Play something for us.” Peter ordered, and pushed the instrument into Adrian’s arms. 

 

 “There. Now come on.” Peter smiled triumphantly at Adi before grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. 

 “But-“ Adi protested, but Peter wouldn’t hear of it. He pulled her into a spin just as Adrian began to pick out the first few notes of a fast paced, enchanting song. 

 

 Peter, surprisingly, was a very smooth dancer as he guided Adi around the fire in a series of quick steps. 

 “Where did you learn to dance?” She questioned as he pulled her in close, their hips matching the rhythm. 

  “I’ve been around longer than you think love.” He winked at her, and Adi snorted. “The real question is, where did you learn to dance? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this graceful.” Peter teased, looking down at her swaying hips for a moment. 

 

 “Shut up.” Adi retorted lightly as Peter spun her outward, studying Her appreciatively, before pulling her back in and clutching her side close to his, so their hips were pressed side by side.  The truth was, Peter was doing most of the work. He guided her easily and her feet knew the right way to to go. She used to dance with her father when she was a child, and she would dance with Lana sometimes, but those were just silly steps that didn’t have any particular rhythm. This kind of dancing she was doing now was wildly different, and she wasn’t entirely sure she didn’t hate it. 

 Peter pulled her around to face him again and their steps fell perfectly in sync once again. She could feel the other boys watching them, some with indifferent, blank stares, some with shock, and some with amusement. 

The song ended, and Adi’s eyes met Peter’s as their chests heaved. 

 “Mind if I cut in?” Adi broke the eye contact quickly to look at Rufio, who was holding his hand out to her. 

 “Yes.” Peter growled, and his grip tightened on her waist. 

 “Actually, I’m done for the night. You two dance together.” Adi teased, and broke out of Pan’s hold. She glanced at him once more, before quickly walking away from the party and into the jungle. She needed a minute alone. 

 

Her face felt hot.  _From the fire._ She told herself. Adi looked around through the dark forest, and decided to wash up in the stream for a minute to cool her nerves. She continued to make her way through the trees, but cursed as her dress snagged on a bush and tore halfway up her thigh. 

She swore again, and clutches the ends of the fabric together. 

 “Well that’s a shame.” Someone called from behind her. 

Adi turned and smiled when she saw her companion. “Thaddeus.” She glanced down at her still exposed upper leg. “How dare you spy on a girl while she’s indecent.” Adi teased. 

Thaddeus laughed. “Adi I don’t believe you’ve ever been decent in your life.” He snorted. “However, never let it be said that Thaddeus of Hamelin did not uphold a lady’s honor.” He swept off his cloak and held it out to her while bowing deeply. “Here.” He flashed a goofy grin at her and Adi laughed, gratefully accepting the cloak. 

 “My knight in shining armor.” She teased back, wrapping her body up. 

“Are you alright?” Thaddeus asked, straightening up, his pretenses gone. “You seemed upset when you left.” 

 

“I’m just not one for theatrics like Pan is.” Adi replied, waving her hand dismissively. 

 

Thaddeus quirked an eyebrow. “Are you sure that’s all it was?” 

 

“Yes.” Adi replied firmly, her tone indicating that she wanted to end the topic.

 

 Thaddeus looked at her curiously and paused, carefully picking his words. “I...I know Pan can be pretty pushy...and I know he’s our leader and all but-“ 

 

 “Please just drop it.” Adi cut him off, not meeting his eyes. She bit her lip. That came out harsher than she meant it to. Why was she so snappy?  

 

In a much gentler tone, she asked “ Can we talk about something else?” 

 

Thaddeus opened his mouth to argue, but then closed it and sighed with a small smile. He glanced back down at the ripped seam that she was trying to cover up. 

 

“Well, if you want to go on an adventure through the woods, I would suggest changing clothes.” He laughed.

 

 “Hmm.” Adi glanced down at her torn dress. “I suppose. I told Pan that dresses were impractical for the jungle.” She sighed. “Come on, let’s head back.” 

 

 They fell in step together in silence for a moment, before Thaddeus attempted conversation again.

 “So...what happened at Mermaid Lagoon?” 

Adi barked a laugh and began to fill him in on their afternoon expedition. She was just telling him about Pan rescuing them when they got to camp. The fire had died down somewhat, but the party was still raging, with the boys dancing, twisting, and doing flips off of the logs they usually sat on during meals. 

 

When they entered the camp, Adi’s eyes seemed to immediately find Pan’s. He was standing by Felix, the pair watching the spectacle as the only two people by the fire who were completely still. When Adi locked eyes with Pan, something seemed to cloud his over briefly, before they narrowed into something unreadable and he waved her over. Adi hesitated for a minute, something building in her stomach that made her feel slightly nauseous. She shook off the feeling, chastising herself for being silly, but she wasn’t sure why she suddenly felt so funny. 

Regardless, she strode over to Peter and Felix. 

 “What was that about?” Pan asked, crossing his arms and nodding to Thaddeus. 

Adi blinked and glanced back at Thaddeus, who was joining the other boys’ celebration. 

 “I just needed a minute away from the fire.” Adi replied, keeping her eyes downcast. 

 “Interesting.” Pan continued in the tone Adi had come to recognize as thinly veiled anger. 

“Why are you wearing Thaddeus’s cloak? Did you suddenly get cold after leaving?” He asked condescendingly.  

 “I tore my dress.” Adi snapped back, not caring for Peter’s tone. She opened up the cloak ever so slightly so that only Pan and Felix could see the massive tear in her gown before wrapping herself back up in it like a blanket.

 “Of course you did.” Pan sighed and rolled his eyes. “I _just_  made that you know.” 

 

 “Well then you should have made it with stronger material.” Adi quipped. 

 

“Or given it to someone who’s not as careless as you.” 

 

 “Yes,” Adi hummed in agreement. “Next time give Felix the dress.” 

 

Felix snorted and flashed her a toothy grin. “I’d look positively radiant.” 

 

 “Absolutely spiffing.” Pan snickered. 

 

“You’ve certainly got the legs for it.” Adi elbowed Felix. 

Felix winked at her and Adi howled with laughter. 

 Pan shook his head and laughed too. “Alright then, go on and change.” He sighed with exasperation and gestured to the clothes tent. 

Adi grinned sheepishly and headed to put on more jungle-appropriate clothes. 

 

She returned to find that the party was winding down. The usual drum beats that Pan would have magically play during the evening fire had ceased, but it was anything but quiet.

 

Unfortunately, with the fire being almost put out, meant that the boys got a stupid idea. 

 

Adi was just crossing the clearing when she had to duck to avoid being hit in the face by something glowing orange. 

 

“Hey!” She shouted, looking to where the object came from. The boys had rounded up the large metal serving spoons from dinner and were scooping out the red hot coals from the fire and chucking them at each other. Adi watched as Pan produced more spoons with one hand and tossed them to the boys who were without, and with his other hand he lifted the coals with magic and tossed them randomly in the air, laughing as the boys twisted and ducked out of the way of the falling embers. 

 

Adi watched the scene, her lips forming a small smile. “You dummies.” She murmured, and shook her head while chuckling, before charging forward to join the game. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it's been a hot minute since I updated, things have been kind of crazy! Thanks for all the support, and let me know what you think in the comments, or feel free to ask me questions via tumblr! (same username, Bluebell484)


	9. Chapter Nine

Adi was wrapped tightly in her covers on her hanging bed, when she felt fingers tracing the skin on her cheek lightly, slowly drawing her out of sleep. She gave a faint murmur and stirred, coming out of her groggy daze. Apparently, not fast enough. The fingers left her face and moved to her shoulder, pinching her sharply. 

 “Hey! Wake up!” Adi recognized that hissing voice. 

 “Peter...” she grumbled without opening her eyes. “Once, just once could you let me sleep in?” She snuggled deeper into her toasty warm blankets. 

 

“I need your help with something. Before the other boys wake up.” He replied impatiently. 

 “Then use your magic to keep them asleep and leave me alone.” Adi growled back, still stubbornly keeping her eyes closed.

 “Adi.” Peter said her name, his tone half reprimanding, half warning. “I will magic you out of bed and make you stand naked in the middle of camp if you don’t get up.”  

 

“Do it.” She mumbled, already slipping back asleep. Her body was sore from the previous night’s coal fight. She had one burn mark across her collarbone, where one of the flying embers had skidded over the skin, and another circular burn on her thigh where she’s been struck. 

 

She heard Peter let out a frustrated groan, and felt a whipping wind of magic surround her body, before settling down.

She cracked her eyes open briefly, and saw that her clothes and even the blankets were still there, so she gave it no further thought and fell almost immediately back into her slumber. 

 

Two hours later, she finally awoke of her own accord. Blinking slowly, her bleary eyes took in the surroundings around her. She was in Peter’s tent. More specifically, in his bed. Adi sat up quickly and rubbed her eyes. 

 “Oh good, you’re awake.” Peter called to her sarcastically. “Are you done being so obstinate?” He demanded, rising from the chest at the foot of the bed he’d been sitting on. 

 

 “Oh shut up.” She replied tiredly, raising her bare arms to stretch. She was wearing a sleeping camisole and shorts, to avoid the burned skin.

“Where are my clothes?” She asked, climbing out of the bed. A quick scan of the room showed that her usual gear was no where in the tent.

 “I’m not complaining.” Peter replied with a  grin, eyeing her.  Adi just gave him a dirty look.

“Grumpy aren’t we?” 

“You’re lucky I’m unarmed.” She replied wryly, and made her way toward the exit. 

 “Hey wait a minute.” Pan appeared in front of her, blocking her path. He grabbed her shoulders and began steering her toward the table in the corner of the tent. 

 

 “Look.” He ordered, and waved his hand over the map of Neverland that was sprawled across it. The map glowed a faint green for a moment, and then small little dots began to pop up on its surface. Each one of dots was a different color, standing out on the tan parchment. 

 

“Each one of these dots is someone on the island.” Peter explained. “ See, the boys are still in camp.” Peter pointed to different clumps of multi colored dots, indicating the boys in their different tents. “And here’s you and me.” He continued, pointing to a pair of dots, one green, one blue a little aways from the other specks. 

 “Here’s my conundrum.” Pan continued, and moved his finger to another cluster, this one in the ocean off of the shore on the southern tip of the island, set on top of a detailed drawing of a ship, that was slowly moving. 

 “Those pirates of yours have been circling the island for weeks. I haven’t seen a single one of them come ashore. Sometimes they go further out to sea, off the edge of the map, before coming back and circling the island again.” 

 

Pan straightened up and folded his arms. “When you and that captain first came to the island, he told me he came for dreamshade. Now, there are a number of poisons in the Enchanted Forest, and even more here on Neverland. Killian was willing to risk everything to come here for dreamshade specifically, with no exit plan to get back. So, my question is, who is it that he’s out to kill? And what are those pirates up to now?” Pan raised his eyebrows to her. 

 

 Adi blinked. “How should I know? I haven’t seen them in weeks.” 

 

“I didn’t bring you here to waste my time.” Pan growled. 

 Adi sighed. “They’re probably circling the island because they want to find a way off of it without having to come ashore again, seeing as you killed one of the crew last time they did. As for Hook’s target...” Adi hesitated. Pan was involved with Rumplestiltskin in some way or another, that much she knew. He mentioned it once before, that he had a lot of knowledge about Henry’s paternal ancestry, and he’s been studying him for weeks before going to find Baelfire. She didn’t know if he considered the Dark One to be friend or foe, but she didn’t want to risk Hook’s life on it. 

 “I never knew who Hook was after. I didn’t even know we came to Neverland for dreamshade until we got here.” Adi replied. 

 

Pan’s eyes clouded over. “I see.” He murmured, and cast his eyes downward. 

 “Well, I have some business to attend to.” He turned away from her and began to stalk out of the tent. 

Adi bit her lip and turned back to the map. “Hey, what’s that?” She asked, pointing to a dot that was coming onto the page. 

Pan came back to peer over her shoulder. 

The bright red circle was moving across the map quickly and heading straight for the camp. 

 

 “Oh, that’s a old visitor.” Pan replied without concern. He waved his hand dismissively. “He comes and goes.” 

 

 “What?!” Adi gasped, and spun around to face Pan. He was closer than she realized. She was effectively pinned between him and the table. 

 “There’s someone that you let leave the island whenever he chooses?” She demanded. “Why? What makes him so special?” She demanded. 

 

Pan’s face was shadowed for a moment, before his smug smile came back to light up his features. He leaned forward a little, making Adi bend awkwardly over the table.  “Well, why don’t you go and meet him and find out. It looks like he’s coming straight for the camp.” Pan grinned wickedly, before taking a step back and teleporting away. 

She gave a angry cry and swinging her arms uselessly at the empty air where Peter had been, wishing it was his face. She turned back to look at the map and see where the mysterious newcomer was at now, but the map has been magically wiped clean, displaying the simple shape of Neverland once more. 

 

She groaned in frustration and marched back out to camp. 

 

The rest of the boys were still asleep, no doubt by a spell of Pan’s design. She didn’t know why he found it so necessary to ask her about the pirates without the others finding out, but it wasn’t like she could ask him now, and she had more important things to focus on at the moment. She hauled her way up to her bed, where her cloak and hunting supplies were waiting. Whoever this newcomer was, Adi didn’t want to meet them unarmed and half naked. 

When she was redressed, her sword at her hip and her bow and quiver over her shoulder, she felt a little better. 

 

She slid out of the tree just as a red figure floated into the clearing. 

 

A fairy. He was a fairy. His long, silvery wings fluttering behind him as he approached the camp. He was just a little taller than her hand, but as he got closer to the ground, he sprang into the size of a regular man. He was wearing a tunic and breeches of varying shades of scarlet and auburn brown, and his bright, unnaturally red hair was spiked out of his face. His eyes were like molten gold, and they made her shiver as he scanned the camp uncertainly, obviously not accustomed to seeing it so quiet.  

It was a little unnerving. Even at night, the cries of the Lost Boys, as well as the calls of the Neverbeasts answering the boys voices, could be heard, or even the shuffling of the sentries. It was exceedingly odd to have the camp be washed in morning light, but completely silent. 

 

Adi came out of the shadows of the tree and called to the fairy in a mild tone. “Who are you?”

 

The boy turned to face her, his eyebrows knit together. “I could ask the same of you. Pan hasn’t brought anybody new to the camp in close to fifty years.” He frowned. “And never once has it been a girl.” 

 

“Lucky me.” Adi replied dryly. “You’ve known Pan a long time then?” 

 

 “Since the beginning.” He answered. “Every fairy knows about the boy who made Neverland a reality.” 

 

Adi tipped her head to the side. Made Neverland a reality?  “What do you mean?” 

 

The boy waved his hand dismissively. “Never mind. I am Blaze. And who are you?“ His tone was casual, mildly polite, but still cautious. 

“ I’m Adi.” She answered him, the formal introductions feeling foreign. 

“Curious.” Blaze tipped his head and studied her. “Tell me, why has Pan kept you here, the first human girl to ever set foot on Neverland?” Once again, Blaze kept his voice even and neutral, but there was just the slightest strain in his eyebrows that suggested something that Adi didn’t like. 

 

“I’m still here because...” Adi smiled without humor. “I kind of got inducted into the group by accident, and then I pissed Pan off, so he punished my by keeping me trapped on the island instead of letting me go home.”  She quirked an eyebrow at him. “Why does Pan let you come and go as you please? You’re the first person I’ve ever met to have such a privilege.”

 

Blaze’s face tightened and he shuffled his feet uncomfortably. “Where is everyone?” He asked. 

 

He was avoiding the question. Adi’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, noticing his obvious change in attitude. There was definitely something he was hiding. 

 “They’re all still asleep. Peter’s up to his usual games.” Adi sighed, rolling her eyes. 

 

His face shadowed even more. “Oh yes I know all about Pan and his games.” Blaze muttered darkly. 

 

Adi studied him carefully, reading his expression. Perhaps she could gain his trust by bonding over their mutual irritation towards Peter. Although, she wouldn’t describe Blaze’s expression as irritated. No, he looked more like he absolutely loathed Peter Pan. 

 

“The...the boys, they aren’t in some sort of curse are they?”  Blaze asked, looking apprehensively toward one of the tents. 

 “ I don’t think so.” Adi replied, following his eyes. “ I’m sure they’ll wake up soon. In the meantime, I’m starved. You hungry?” Adi walked over to food prep station. She frowned. Usually the morning patrol would have deposited the morning catches from the snare trail. Of course, with everyone being unconscious all morning, that obviously hadn’t happened. She’d have to go hunting. 

 

Blaze came up to peer over her head, and then glanced at her expression. “You can’t conjure up dishes, can you?” He asked. “You haven’t learned the magic of Neverland yet.” 

Adi flushed. “No. But it’s not like I need to. The island has plenty to eat.” She tipped her head to the side. “I think a nice boar would make a great breakfast.” 

 

“That’s not necessary.” Blaze said easily, and produced two plates of steaming fresh bacon and eggs. Adi had certainly been around magic quite a bit in her life, even more so after living with Pan, who couldn’t seem to be bothered to do even the most mundane tasks the way everyone else would. Whether it be simply walking ten feet to get across camp or just lighting a fire, Pan always seemed to find a way to work magic into his everyday routine. Even so, Adi couldn’t help but give a startled cry when the plate suddenly appeared in her hand. 

“Well don’t drop it.” Blaze snorted when her hand wobbled under the unexpected weight of the dish. He snapped his fingers, and a silver fork materialized, perfectly upright and speared through her eggs. 

“Now you won’t have to kill a boar to get your breakfast.” Blaze said, jabbing his fork at her bacon before plopping down on a stump and scooping up some eggs. Adi blinked. The way he was sitting and eating, although something so simple, had her bewildered. He was so much more....refined than what she had gotten used to. Even the way he spoke had a sense of elegance in it that she’d never heard before.  The other boys usually shoveled their food away so quickly, and half of them didn’t even bother with silverware. Thaddeus had once claimed they never learned how to use a knife and fork. Adi hadn’t ever particularly minded the wild way the boys behaved, but it was startling to see someone use manners when surrounded by the backdrop of the Lost Boys typically unruly camp. 

“You’re staring at me.” Blaze said around a bite of bacon. “Have you never met a fairy before?” 

 Adi started, embarrassed that she had been so transfixed over something so trivial. She sat down on a log opposite of him. 

 “No.” She admitted. “Congratulations, you’re the first.” 

Blaze laughed lightly. “Well, I’m afraid there’s not much to me to be impressed about, so please, do contain your excitement.” 

Adi laughed. “I’ll try my best.” She replied, her eyes sparkling. “What’s it like? Being a fairy?” 

She winced. “I hope that’s not a rude question.” 

Blaze laughed. “Well, you’re more polite about it than most of the Lost Ones are. It’s not all that magical, if that’s what your asking. Every fairy goes through specified training before they can be trusted to perform magic unsupervised, so it’s like being forced into a program just to get permission to use your own power.” Blaze frowned. “But it’s not that bad, really, I’m just complaining too much.  I understand why the rules are so ridged. Fairy magic is extremely powerful, and nobody want a dark fairy running around with all sorts of unchecked magic. Once you’ve proven you’re intentions of using magic for good and can graduate the program, things get a lot better. You get to choose your own path then, even if you do still have certain rules to follow, at least you don’t have your every move scrutinized.” 

 “What happens after you graduate training?” Adi asked. 

“You get to do pretty much whatever you want, within the confines of the highest ranking fairies. Some choose to use their magic to aid kind hearted individuals, and become fairy godmothers or godfathers. Others turn to nature protection or protection of magic itself, such as guarding the fairy and pixie dust supply, or magical objects or even becoming caretakers for children. I heard about some poor kid who’s being looked after by two recent graduates.” Blaze laughed and shook his head. “Poor little one, how two fairies barely out of the program were trusted to take care of another living thing is beyond me.” 

Adi laughed, and pressed on with her questions. “But, this whole business of ensuring a fairy’s intentions before they can be leave the training program, couldn’t a fairy just lie during training, and just pretend they’re not using dark magic, or intending to?” 

 

Blaze shook his head. “No, not really. Fairy magic relies even more on emotions than other wizards or sorcerers do, so it’s practically impossible to use light magic if your harboring dark intentions. Most fairies who end up going dark do so long after they’ve graduated.” 

 

Adi blinked. “Magic relies on emotion?” She said, surprised. 

 

Blaze looked confused. “Did you grow up in a place without magic? Certainly you picked that up from time spent on the island haven’t you?” 

Adi blushed again, feeling foolish for how little she knew about magic despite having grown up around it. 

 

“Here, let me show you.” He said, and plucked her plate from her hands and set it on the table. 

 

“Think about your favorite food,  how it makes you feel and any memories you have of it. How a platter or bowl of it would feel in your hands. Then, reach out and feel for Neverland’s magic, and use it to conjure up what you’re thinking of.” 

Adi had closed her eyes halfway through his lesson, trying to concentrate. At the end of his speech, she cracked open an eye. 

 “But the boys here on the island can create stuff without even thinking, and half the time it’s food they’ve never tasted before.” 

 “Well sure, with practice you can create things you’ve only ever seen or dreamed of, but that takes lots of work to get there. The more time you spend at it, the easier and more fluid it becomes.” He grinned at her, and gestured to her bow and arrow. “It’s no different than any other practical skill, like archery.  When you first tried to shoot an arrow, it was something that didn’t feel natural and it took practice to get used to it before you could get any good, right? So think of it like learning how to fight with a new weapon. For now, let’s stick with something you are already well acquainted with before we starting diving into more imaginative ways of using magic.” 

 

Adi smiled at him. “Okay, I’ll try it. You know, you’re a pretty good teacher.”  And with that, she closed her eyes and tried to focus all her energy on what Blaze had told her to do. 

For a brief moment, she felt something form in her hands, and when she cracked her eyes open she saw a hazy shape of a bowl, before it trembled and vanished again. 

Blaze smiled. “That was a good start, most have a hard time opening their minds up enough to accept the imagination part magic requires. Especially the Lost Ones, because a lot of them have seen a lot of hard things that make believing in their own magical power difficult. Many here on the island are only able to accomplish it because the magic on Neverland is so powerful.” He smiled. “Keep practicing, I bet you’ll be able to get it in no time.” He handed her plate back to her. “But eat first.” His molten eyes were kind and patient. Why he chose to spend time on this island, with Pan’s rudeness and the Boys’s impulsiveness was beyond her. 

“You never did answer my question, are you from a land without magic?” He asked between bites.

The two continued to make small talk for awhile, with Blaze supplying more information on the inner workings of fairy culture, although he skirted away from any topics that got too personal, like what he ended up doing after graduating the program, or if any other fairies came to Neverland. The kept talking long after they’d finished their breakfast and Blaze magically made their empty plates vanish, and continued their conversation until the boys finally began to stir.

 

********************************************

“Good Morning.”

Hook was startled out of bed by a familiar arrogant tone. Peter Pan was seated casually in the chair across the room, his boots resting on Hook’s desk that he rarely used. He was twisting his dagger casually in his hand, not even bothering to look up at Hook. 

 

Hook groaned and rubbed his face with annoyance. “I don’t suppose these regular visits of yours could be done at a more reasonable hour.” He grumbled. 

 “Hmm unfortunately, I have a camp to run and you have a ship to oversee.” Pan replied casually. “So, have you learned anything since our last meeting?” Pan asked, a playful smirk growing on his face as he continued to twirl the dagger in his fingers. 

Hook sighed. “There’s nothing. There’s no mainland, no other islands, just open sea surrounding Neverland.” He grit his teeth at Pan. “But you already know that. You sent us on a wild goose chase.” 

 

 “I did not.” Pan replied, with a mockingly hurt tone. “I merely implied that the way out of Neverland didn’t come from the island.” He grinned. “And it doesn’t. You will find that no magic beans or magic mirrors can be found here. You’re only way out is me, so I’d best find a way to earn that favor.” 

 

“What do you want?” Hook asked, his voice tired. 

 

Pan smirked. “I told you Captain, I couldn’t tell you that without spoiling the game. Have you learned the rules quite yet?”

 

 “Is there a point you’re trying to make?” Hook demanded. 

Pan smiled inwardly. His curt, no nonsense tone reminded him of Adi so much, back when she first joined the Lost Boys. She was only now starting to join them in their games and joke back with him instead of shutting them down. Thinking of Adi also caused a brief frown to cross his face. 

 

He knew what he wanted, and only Hook could provide it. Adi’s complete, unwavering faith and trust. But he couldn’t have that when she was still holding some loyalty to Hook. 

 

“I just have a question for you Killian.” Pan smirked, knowing that Hook would play right into his plan. “Are you sure dreamshade will work in killing the Dark One?” 

 

 “What?” Hook asked sharply. “You yourself it’s the most deadly poison on the island-“ 

 “I did,” Pan interrupted. “But how do you know it would work against an immortal? Or if it would even work at all once it leaves Neverland?” He quirked an eyebrow tauntingly at him. 

 Hook swallowed thickly, his face growing pale. 

 

 “It would be a shame if you returned to the Enchanted Forest, only to discover this whole trip was a waste.” Pan grinned wickedly. “I could tell you of course, but where’s the fun in that?” He laughed. 

 “ Ah well Captain, I’ll let you dwell on that awhile longer. Until next time.” He smiled and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Nine!! Thanks for the support!


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